By understanding the information encoded in genomes we can better predict, treat or otherwise alleviate diseases of plants and animals. Our rich and varied disease research spans from using genetics and the tools of evolutionary biology to identify transmission hotspots of new viral epidemics to understanding how living systems manage the information encoded in their genomes (epigenetics) to maintain healthy development and ageing. Relevant research is ongoing in several of our Institutes and Centres: Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology Institute of Immunology & Infection Institute of Cell Biology Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences Institute of Ecology and Evolution Institute for Stem Cell Research (MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine) UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology Centre for Adapting to Changing Environments Examples of research projects in this thematic area: Professor Sir Adrian Bird discovered the underpinning genetic defects that caused a neurological ad progressive disorder in girls (Rett syndrome) and is now working on gene therapy to reverse this disease. Professor William Earnshaw has built artificial human chromosomes as a model system to explore how errors during cell division might lead to cancer. This article was published on 2024-06-17
