Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 5h

Read ‘Sperm sequencing reveals extensive positive selection in the male germline’ from @sangerinstitute.bsky.social and collaborators in @nature.com below:

nature.com/articles/s41...

Sperm sequencing reveals extensive positive selection in the male germline - Nature

A combination of whole-genome NanoSeq with deep whole-exome and targeted NanoSeq is used to accurately characterize mutation rates and genes under positive selection in sperm cells.

nature.com

6 9

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 5h

A hidden evolutionary process has been uncovered in sperm — where certain harmful DNA changes are naturally favoured as men age.

This gives some changes a competitive edge and increases the risk of genetic conditions. 🔬

Read here 👇
www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/hi...

Hidden evolution in sperm raises disease risk for children as men age

Researchers reveal how certain harmful DNA variations become more common in sperm as men age, raising genetic disease risk for offspring.

www.sanger.ac.uk

1 3 4

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 1d

Lupus is a complex autoimmune condition that affects thousands of people globally 🌍

This #LupusAwarenessMonth, learn how our scientists are advancing understanding through genetics and immune research 🧬

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2025/10/07/five-questions-on-lupus-with-catherine-sutherland/

Catherine Sutherland at her desk working.

1 5

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 2d

PhD Applications now open! Join a world-class community training the next generation of genome scientists and clinicians.

Apply now 👉 lnkd.in/g_JfNuFE

📅 Closes 27 Nov 2025
#ScienceCareers

2 3

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 6d

This role, based at Sanger, will lead on the communications for the Atlas of Variant Effects Alliance - an initiative that is mapping the effects of all the possible variants of human genes 🧬

This is a part-time role, closing on 14th Oct.
More info ⤵️
sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/WellcomeSang...

5 4

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 7d

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health threat 🌍

Without action, deaths will keep rising.

See how we’re tackling it in our new blog ⬇️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2025/10/01/ten-ways-the-sanger-institute-is-tackling-the-global-fight-against-amr/

1 2 4

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 8d

Clinical academics are a bridge between patient care and research – ensuring discoveries translate into treatments and guiding innovation 🔎

The @acmedsci.bsky.social and other UK leaders, including the Sanger Institute, are committed to addressing the decline in these positions. Read how ⤵️

Academy of Medical Sciences @acmedsci.bsky.social · 8d

Today we’re proud to share our Clinical Academics Summit statement, signed by 40+ organisations 🤝

⚠️ Clinical academics are declining
✅ Our summit committed to action to help reverse this trend

👉 Read the full statement: bit.ly/3Ktb5JQ

Quote @rosalindsmyth.bsky.social

A quote card featuring Professor Rosalind Smyth CBC FMedSci, saying "The decline in clinical academic numbers represents a genuine threat to patient care and the UK's research leadership. This statement shows that if we act with urgency and a shared commitment, we can reverse this trend. "

3 4

Reposted by Wellcome Sanger Institute

Nature Communications @natcomms.nature.com · 9d

Global diversity of soil-transmitted #helminths reveals genetic variation that impacts diagnostic targets

@stephenrdoyle.bsky.social @marinapapaiakovou.bsky.social @phylofacts.bsky.social ‪@camvetschool.bsky.social‬ @sangerinstitute.bsky.social

Global diversity of soil-transmitted helminths reveals population-biased genetic variation that impacts diagnostic targets - Nature Communications

This study analysed genetic data of soil-transmitted helminths from 27 countries, revealing diversity impacting molecular test accuracy and highlighting the need to adapt diagnostics for effective STH surveillance.

bit.ly

3 7

Reposted by Wellcome Sanger Institute

Cancer Grand Challenges @cancergrand.bsky.social · Sep 5

Interesting @economist.com piece on #CancerGrandChallenges team Mutographs, Phil Jones (@sangerinstitute.bsky.social) & Sci Committee Chair Charles Swanton. Their work reshapes how we think about cancer’s origins - A great read if you have access.

👉 www.economist.com/science-and-...

1 2

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 9d

Congratulations to Jyoti Nangalia, Inigo Martincorena, and Omer Bayraktar for being shortlisted in this year’s Cancer Grand Challenges! 🧬

Find out more about what this means ⤵️

www.cancergrandchallenges.org/meet-the-fin...

3

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 12d

Immigration is critical for UK research and development. With other leading organisations, we have worked with @sciencecampaign.bsky.social to share insights about how the UK visa system impacts research.

Read the full statement, here ⤵️

www.sanger.ac.uk/about/influe...

Quote card with image of Sarion Bowers, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Sanger Institute on right hand side.
Quote says: At a time when the UK could be strengthening its global leadership through its science, we continue to deter scientists from coming to our country and we damage our global standing.

4 4

Reposted by Wellcome Sanger Institute

Connor Rogerson @doctorconnor.bsky.social · 13d

We have space for two postdoctoral fellows in the Taipale Lab at the @sangerinstitute.bsky.social. This is a core-funded open position! Come with your ideas and interests and we can develop a project together.

sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Wellco...

Postdoctoral Fellow - Gene Regulation and Functional Genomics

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenge...

sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com

14 14

Reposted by Wellcome Sanger Institute

Open Targets @opentargets.org · 13d

CLOSING:

➡️ Senior Bioinformatician with Roser Vento Tormo
sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Wellco...

➡️ Technical Specialist (neuro) with Omer Ali Bayraktar
sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Wellco...

Both @sangerinstitute.bsky.social roles close on 2 October

Technical Specialist: Neurodegenerative Disease Spatial Transcriptomics and Data Generation

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenge...

sanger.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com

2 2

Reposted by Wellcome Sanger Institute

Zamin Iqbal @zaminiqbal.bsky.social · 12d

Delighted to see our paper studying the evolution of plasmids over the last 100 years, now out! Years of work by Adrian Cazares, also Nick Thomson @sangerinstitute.bsky.social - this version much improved over the preprint. Final version should be open access, apols.
Thread 1/n

14 150 300

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 12d

Read ‘Pre and Post antibiotic epoch: the historical spread of antimicrobial resistance’ from @sangerinstitute.bsky.social, @biology.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk, @ukhsa.bsky.social @ebi.embl.org and others in @science.org, here ⤵️

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Pre- and postantibiotic epoch: The historical spread of antimicrobial resistance

Plasmids are now the primary vectors of antimicrobial resistance, but our understanding of how human industrialisation of antibiotics influenced their evolution is limited by a paucity of data predati...

www.science.org

1 5

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 12d

In the future, developing ways to target these plasmids could lead to new therapies to combat treatment-resistant infections worldwide 🗺️

Explore the full story, here ⤵️
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/capturing-100-years-of-antibiotic-resistance-evolution/

Capturing 100 years of antibiotic resistance evolution

Researchers have dived into the pre-antibiotic history of plasmids — one of bacteria’s tools of antimicrobial resistance — to understand how they have facilitated the spread of treatment-resistant infections worldwide.

www.sanger.ac.uk

1 3

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 12d

Samples from 1917 have helped identify the genetic culprits responsible for the spread of treatment-resistant infections 🔎

By mapping plasmid evolution since the pre-antibiotic era, experts found that a minority of plasmids cause most of the multidrug resistance in the world 🧵

1 8 8

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 13d

Experts have laid out their plans to write a Biodiversity Cell Atlas that maps every cell of all eukaryotic life on Earth 🧬

They hope this will reveal nature’s secrets and help inform conservation efforts.

https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/creating-a-map-of-every-living-thing-cell-by-cell/

Creating a map of every living thing, cell by cell

An ambitious and revolutionary initiative aims to map every cell of all eukaryotic life on Earth. The result will be a Biodiversity Cell Atlas, which will reveal nature’s secrets and help inform conservation efforts at a level that is not c...

www.sanger.ac.uk

5

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 13d

Find out more on our website ➡️
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/universal-drug-target-potential-in-scaffolding-cells-found-across-the-body/

Universal drug target potential in scaffolding cells found across the body

Researchers have created a high-resolution atlas of fibroblasts in human skin and reveal their roles in diseases.

www.sanger.ac.uk

2

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 13d

Scientists have mapped scaffolding cells in skin and show how they go ‘rogue’ in different conditions – including acne, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis & IBD

They suggest these cells could be universal drug targets in the future 💊

1 1 2

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 19d

Read ‘Genomic diversity of the African malaria vector Anopheles funestus’ in @science.org here 👇

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Genomic diversity of the African malaria vector Anopheles funestus

Anopheles funestus s.s. is a major human malaria vector across Africa. To study its evolution, especially under vector control pressure, we sequenced 656 modern specimens (collected 2014 to 2018) and ...

www.science.org

2 9

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 19d

Across 16 African countries, scientists sequenced 656 modern An. funestus and 45 historic specimens from @nhm-london.bsky.social and @ird-fr.bsky.social revealing:

High genetic diversity 🧬
Rapid adaptation ⚡
Insecticide resistance already in the 1960s 🛡️

1 1 4

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 19d

One of the most dangerous malaria-carrying mosquitoes is rapidly evolving in response to control efforts, genetics has revealed.

Findings could inform smarter tools to monitor for and fight malaria. 🦟

Read more here ⤵️
http://bit.ly/4pwQKDv

Genomic evolution of major malaria-transmitting mosquito species uncovered

Sequencing hundreds of Anopheles funestus mosquitoes provides new insights into the evolutionary patterns of this important human malaria-transmitting species.

bit.ly

1 7 7

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 20d

Training the next generation of scientific leaders in #genomics is at the core of our mission 🚀 #PostDocAppreciationWeek

Every year, we host an EMBO Lab Leadership Course for Postdocs to gain the skills and confidence to grow as leaders.

What was this year's edition like? 🎥👇

youtu.be/7EEYdKQKKkc

EMBO leadership course at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

YouTube video by Wellcome Sanger Institute

youtu.be

1

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 20d

Keerthi Priya Chakala shares her path from coding to mapping skin cells, showing how curiosity is just as essential as coding skills in bioinformatics 💻

Read what she has to say ⤵️
sangerinstitute.blog/2025/09/18/n...

Navigating the human skin with coffee, code and curiosity - Wellcome Sanger Institute Blog

Genomics research generates vast datasets, particularly from single-cell and spatial technologies, with artificial intelligence (AI) offering new ways to analyse them. Data experts provide crucial sup...

sangerinstitute.blog

1 3