I am a Senior Computational Biologist in the Haerty Group. I use a number of whole-genome sequencing approaches in order to answer questions related to conservation, population and evolutionary genomics, hybridisation, domestication and species diversity. I use the latest technologies available at the Earlham Institute such as 10x Genomics, Tell-seq, PacBio, Nanopore, Omni-C, and Illumina to sequence and assemble previously uncharacterised genomes. My current research includes looking at the genomic diversity of Mustelid (polecats and ferrets), marsupials, and Cichlid fish.

I am particularly interested in the genomics of endangered species and utilise this knowledge in my role as the institutes’ CITES coordinator.  

Leading the Earlham Institute's Advanced Training programme, Emily works closely with faculty and scientific organisers to develop best practice training styles and put up-to-the-minute tools, resources and know-how at the fingertips of researchers across the life sciences via workshops, symposiums and events.

Emily is also responsible for EI’s Year in Industry and Immersive Visitors Training Programme (IVTP), enabling the next generation scientists and researchers via tailored training programmes and mentoring to gain key skills. 

Emily first joined EI in June 2009 as the Head of Directorate Office where she was closely involved in the initial start-up phase of the institute. Emily completed her BSc. (Hons) in Genetics with a Year in Industry from the University of York in 2003.

She then worked for two years as a Research Assistant at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge in the Laboratory of Developmental Genetics and Imprinting, where she went on to study for her PhD in placental physiology, completing this in 2009.

I have been working in the Macaulay Group since 2016. Our group works on all species types and I have worked with human and mouse tissues in the past, but I now specialise on working with plant tissues. 

I have a lot of experience in all our single cell isolation, including FACS, robotic automation and 10X Genomics and in particular the Vizgen Merscope spatial transcriptomics platform workflows. I have a core role in the preparation of histological samples for downstream spatial transcriptomics experiments.

Prior to working in the Macaulay Group, I was part of the Technical Genomics group, preparing and sequencing libraries for customers data generation. 

I have also worked in Graham Moore's group in the John Innes Centre (JIC) Crop Genetics department, working on a wheat mapping project. This project involved high throughput DNA extractions, KASP marker genotyping and wheat growth and crossing. 

Prior to working at JIC, I worked on the Babraham Research Campus in a start-up company called Recombinant Antibody Technology Ltd. This company cloned human monoclonal antibodies into Rats for therapeutics. In this company, I learned a lot of skills such as cloning, tissue culture, DNA, RNA and protein extractions required to genotype the Rat lines.

Although my work is mainly faculty research driven, I am heavily involved in our group's work as part of the National Bioscience Research Infrastructure in Transformative Genomics. I am involved in setting up new technology within the group and I am part of the team liaising with customers interested in starting up new projects in our group. Another large part of my role is to deliver training courses; I run a Single Cell Laboratory course, a Spatial Transcriptomics for Plant Users Workshop and I am involved in the Single Cell Bioinformatics course. 

Neil is a member of the Project Management team within the Technical Genomics group at EI and manages the group’s Laboratory Information Management System (Sapio LIMS). This software automates sample management through EI’s High Performance Sequencing facilities, ensuring that all information and operations are tracked and logged during the lifetime of the samples.

After taking an unusual route into science, Neil completed his PhD at the University of East Anglia in 2020, studying the regulation of denitrification in Paracoccus denitrificans in the laboratory of Stephen Spiro. He then spent 15 years working on various bacterial research projects across the Norwich Research Park, focusing on bacterial stress-management and signalling systems.

Neil changed focus in 2014, qualifying as a PRINCE2 project management practitioner before joining EI to assist in the management of sequencing projects. He then led the implementation of Sapio LIMS at EI before taking on permanent management of the software.

Neil co-organises High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions for Norwich Bioscience Institutes (NBI) staff and chairs the NBI Bicycle Users group, which promotes cycling at the NBI. Outside of work Neil is an active member of the Parkrun community, volunteering as a Run Director at Norwich ParkRun, held in Eaton Park.

In my role as a Senior Research Assistant, my primary role is to process all samples destined for the PacBio Workflow, from sample receipt to sequencing, and to schedule sequencing runs on the PacBio RS II. I also trained as part of the Sequencing Operations team to operate all the Illumina sequencing technologies available at EI and is currently receiving training in automation on SciClone liquid handling robots, to later apply to the PacBio library construction pipeline. Before joining the Earlham Institute, I studied at the University of Worcester and graduated with a first degree in Human Biology (BSc Hons). 

As a member of the Technical Genomics Group, I bring a wealth of experience to the Library Construction team. 

Prior to joining the Earlham Institute, I previously worked at the John Innes Centre with Ian Bancroft, investigating oil seed metabolism, transcriptome analysis and developing resources for Brassica genomics.

Since joining EI, I have been trained in many different library construction techniques and am now responsible for the high throughput DNA and RNA pipelines. My remit covers the introduction of new methods to the team’s portfolio of protocols and working with the library construction team to reduce them to high throughput, automatable pipelines.

During my time at the Earlham Institute, I have established a High Throughput BAC sequencing pipeline capable of processing >9 000 samples a day. Working alongside scientists in the Algorithm Development Group, I have refined amplification free library construction protocols and developed a novel long mate pair method both widely used in the flagship de novo sequencing projects undertaken at EI. More recently I have designed a low-cost custom library construction pipeline suitable for large-scale resequencing projects.

I have worked within the genomics field for over twenty-five years during which time I have held the position of Genotyping team leader for PIC, Analysis Team leader for Hexagen, and was instrumental in founding and running the Mutation Detection Facility for Cancer Research UK. Prior to joining EI, I was Operations Manager for the John Innes Genome Laboratory. I have a wealth of experience in a wide variety of organisms and in an array of different Molecular Biology techniques. 

I am responsible for managing and supporting a Galaxy web server used by the Earlham Institute bioinformaticians to run large-scale analyses in an accessible, reproducible and transparent way.

 I am also collaborating on the open source development of the Galaxy platform and of its tools and workflows. 

Prior to joining the Earlham Institute, I completed a master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Udine and a PhD in Functional and Structural Genomics at SISSA in Trieste, as well as working for five years on Systems Biology and Galaxy at CRS4 in Italy. 

Liliya has a PhD in Plant Genetics and Biology from the University of Hamburg, Germany, and over 14 years scientific expertise in plant breeding, phytopathology, and biochemistry. She has over 10 years of experience in knowledge transfer and commercialisation with a strong track record in establishing academia-business collaborations and helping consortia to win funding for innovation and R&D. Liliya is leading the Earlham Institute Business Development and Impact Team, delivering the EI’s Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation Strategy, and supporting the EI Faculty with developing links with other academic organisations, private companies and wider stakeholders, and realising the impact of EI research.

Prior to the Earlham Institute, Liliya worked at KTN as a Knowledge Transfer Manager within the Agri-Food Team, where she supported large and small companies developing innovative technologies, and worked with government agencies, Innovate UK, research organisations and public funding bodies aiming to add value to the UK economy from exploitation of innovative products and technologies. Prior to KTN, Liliya worked at the University of East Anglia where she managed the delivery of several large multi-partner projects including the £5.3m InCrops Project (ERDF co-funded), £14.6m EnAlgae Project (INTERREG co-funded), BioInno project (Lifelong Learning Programme), and Commercial Consultancy activities.

Liliya's expertise includes plant sciences, biotechnology, agricultural technologies, biorenewables, and bio-based materials. Liliya is passionate about translating technological innovation into economic, social and environmental impacts.