Wellcome Sanger Institute

22/09/2026

What if you could pick out exactly the cells you want to study from a complex tissue?

That is the power of laser capture microdissection (LCM). 🔬

At the Sanger Institute, our researchers use LCM to precisely isolate cells and tissue regions for detailed molecular analysis. From cancer biology to autoimmune disease and ageing, this technology is helping scientists uncover signals that can be hidden when whole tissues are analysed together.

In our latest blog, we take a closer look at how LCM works, why tiny technical details matter, and how our researchers are using it to ask increasingly precise questions about biology and disease.

Read more 👉 https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/09/22/what-is-laser-capture-microdissection/

18/09/2026

Eczema is a complex, chronic condition affecting millions worldwide. 🌏

For Eczema Awareness week, read our blog to explore what we know about eczema and what the future of research could look like.

👉 https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/07/01/5-questions-on-eczema-with-anna-vathrakokoili-pournara/

Red, itchy, unpredictable – eczema is more than just a skincare issue. It is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects people’s day-to-day lives. We explore what it is, what remains unclear and how researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute are getting beneath the surface to find out more.

15/09/2026

Marcela Uliano da Silva has a career that spans molluscs, sloths, and continents, with a hefty dose of science communication thrown in for good measure. 🦥

Take a leaf out of the sloth playbook and slow down for a moment to read the latest story on the blog, and learn more about Marcelas' journey from a TED Fellows talk and university in Florianópolis to Churchill College Cambridge. ⤵️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/09/15/sloths-sequencing-and-south-america/

Image credits: Marcela Uliano da Silva

14/09/2026

New research suggests that the risk of developing bacterial pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis after air pollution exposure could depend on the subtype of bacteria a person has.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is found in the noses and throats of almost 20 per cent of adults globally. While many people carry the bacteria without any symptoms, when the bacteria get into the lower respiratory tract or bloodstream, it can lead to invasive pneumococcal disease such as bacterial sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis.

This new study found that the subtype of the bacteria, together with air pollution exposure, impacts the rate and timing of invasive disease — with some strains linked to immediate infection after air pollution exposure, and some taking several weeks.

The team suggest that improving air quality could lower disease risk. Also, understanding what type of bacterial strains are circulating and how environmental factors shape infection rates could inform future public health policies, protect those most at risk, and prepare hospitals for outbreaks. 🏥

Read the full story ⤵️

https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/bacteria-in-airway-shape-air-pollution-health-risk/

By studying over 59,000 cases of invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, experts have found that the subtype of bacteria influences the impact of environmental factors, such as air pollution, on disease risk.

11/09/2026

Our bodies are a Darwinian battleground, where cells are constantly evolving, expanding and fighting for space in our normal tissues.

Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, give a growth advantage to some of these cells with particular genetic changes, new research finds.

Scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Cambridge, University College London and their collaborators used DNA sequencing to map the mutations in normal oesophagus tissue from oesophageal cancer patients who had received either chemotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or no treatment before surgery.

They found that different cancer treatments changed the landscape of mutations in normal tissue.

The research begins to uncover the genes that make normal cells sensitive or resistant to treatment and could help shape cancer treatment in the future to minimise damage to normal tissues.

Read more here ➡️ https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/chemotherapy-alters-darwinian-battleground-in-our-bodies/

Researchers uncover the genetic effects of cancer treatments in normal tissue, providing insights into side effects and drug resistance.

11/09/2026

Researchers have revealed the genetic impact of certain chemotherapy drugs on healthy cells, helping to explain why some childhood cancer survivors face health issues later in life, such as secondary cancers or liver disease. 🧬

Chemotherapy is an essential tool for treating cancer. By identifying exactly how these drugs genetically impact healthy tissues, scientists hope to develop new ways to mitigate or prevent these DNA changes in the future, ultimately reducing the long-term health risks.

Read the full news story, here ⤵️

https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/impact-of-childhood-chemotherapy-on-healthy-tissues-uncovered/

08/09/2026

Vanessa Burns’s path into science has not been linear – from a degree in dance and biological sciences, to two master’s degrees, an unexpected PhD detour and one bold email to the Sanger Institute. 🩰

Now a fourth-year PhD student, Vanessa uses genome editing to explore genetic variants linked to rare disease, with the aim of improving clinical diagnosis. 🧬

For Vanessa, science is not just about the data. It is about what that data could mean for the person waiting for a diagnosis.

Read more about her story below 👇

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/09/08/dance-dna-and-trusting-lifes-detours/

01/09/2026

CRISPR-Cas is a gene editing technique that has transformed molecular biology – from a bacterial defence system into a powerful toolkit for studying gene function, modelling disease, and developing new therapies.

But how does it actually work and what are we using it for? 🤔

In our latest blog, Sandeep Sundara Rajan explains how CRISPR-Cas is being used to investigate gene function, cancer vulnerabilities, and human genetic variation.

He also looks ahead to the next generation of genome editing – and how AI could complement experimental research by helping predict the effects of genetic variants.

Read the full blog below 👇
https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/09/01/5-questions-on-crispr-cas-with-sandeep-rajan/

26/08/2026

What makes us all different? A hidden source of genetic diversity has now been uncovered in human s***m by scientists.

The team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Cambridge and their collaborators have found that a type of genetic recombination occurs earlier in s***m development than previously thought.

The researchers found that these DNA recombination patterns can vary between individuals, including identical twins. This study opens new opportunities to investigate biological mechanisms underlying fertility, genome evolution and inherited disease.

Read more here ⤵️
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/hidden-source-of-genetic-diversity-found-in-human-s***m/

New research provides a detailed view of how genetic diversity is generated in s***m and opens new opportunities to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying fertility, genome evolution, and inherited disease.

25/08/2026

PTEN hamartoma tumour syndrome (PHTS) is a genetic condition caused by changes to the PTEN gene. 🧬

Symptoms can vary from person to person, including an increased risk of certain cancers such as breast and endometrial cancer. However, while some individuals develop multiple cancers, others may never develop cancer at all.

A new project is underway to understand why, attempting to understand more about how these inherited PTEN changes influence how cells grow, and why this can lead to cancer. The researchers hope that this work will help inform future approaches for screening, find new ways to identify those at highest risk of cancer, and support early detection of tumours.

Read more about this in our latest blog, which includes Pam’s full story, here ⤵️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/08/25/one-gene-many-outcomes-understanding-variable-cancer-risk-in-pten-hamartoma-tumour-syndrome/