Earth Biogenome Project
A global partnership to sequence the genomes of all lifeforms so we can better understand and harness biodiversity
Biography
I am a bioinformatician/computational scientist in the Core Bioinformatics Group led by Dr. David Swarbreck. I am working on the protist branch of the Darwin Tree of Life Project. My primary interests are in the area of evolutionary genomics and bioinformatics. I am particularly interested in the evolution of microbial eukaryotes, as these include some of the most diverse lineages of eukaryotes.
Prior to joining the Earlham Institute, I carried out my PhD research at Maynooth University, where I applied bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics methods to characterise genomic evolution in plant pathogenic Phytophthora species and other oomycetes. I also obtained a BSc degree in Biology and Computer Science at Maynooth University.
Projects
Publications
Related reading.
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05 April 2024
Science
FEATURE
| 5 min READ
Genetic integrity needed for Biodiversity Net Gain to flower
It’s one of the most ambitious plans to rebuild the natural environment in Europe – but will Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) lead to an influx of poor-quality wildflower seeds?
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01 March 2024
People
Science
FEATURE
| 5 min READ
Light-up plants and tunable roots signal new solutions for climate crisis
There has been no rain for a month. The soil around a farmer’s wheat plants is bone-dry. In the past this could have led to the loss of the whole crop – but one flick of a genetic switch means the root systems can begin to adapt to the drier conditions.
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16 February 2024
Science
Technology
FEATURE
| 8 min READ
How the latest platforms are scaling-up our impact in aquaculture
Millions of people around the world rely on farmed fish as a critical source of nutrition - and, as our global population grows, so does the need to improve the productivity of aquaculture.
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24 January 2024
Science
FEATURE
| 5 min READ
The fish, the fungus, the grass, the bee - and the brassica
Approximately one fifth of the 200,000 eukaryotic species found in Europe are at risk of disappearing.
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19 December 2023
Science
FEATURE
| 5 min READ
COPO: providing context through metadata
What is the difference between one data point and another?
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11 December 2023
Science
Technology
FEATURE
| 3 min READ
Standout innovation contributes to knowledge exchange
It is not always easy to translate academic research into real-world impact but, this year, Earlham Institute researchers have stood out for their positive contributions.
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05 December 2023
Science
FEATURE
| 5 min READ
Applying spatial transcriptomics in plants
It is a revolutionary new way of looking at cells that is already having an impact across medical science. Now, the close-up lens of spatial transcriptomics is being turned to plants.
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29 November 2023
Science
Technology
FEATURE
| 8 min READ
Collaborating for our future
We can only survive the urgent threats facing humanity by working together to find innovative research solutions.
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06 November 2023
Science
FEATURE
| 8 min READ
Focus on fungi helps fight global threat to our food
Fungal attacks on the world’s most important crops are one of the biggest threats to food security, with their impact likely to worsen as temperatures rise and fungi expand their range.
25 March 2024
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New genome assembly finds yeast variant is distinct species
Two research papers from the Earlham Institute and Francis Crick Institute have provided new genome assemblies for Schizosaccharomyces japonicus and its sub-varieties, revealing previously unknown features and providing evidence for a new species of fission yeast.
09 February 2024
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Science and Technology Secretary announces Engineering Biology investment
£100 million has been awarded by the Government today to help pioneer new technologies that will help prepare for pandemics, innovate farming, and protect against floods.
22 January 2024
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Identifying criminals from a single cell
New advances in single cell DNA profiling could make it possible to identify individuals from even the smallest traces.
09 January 2024
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£3m funding for project to chart cellular diversity on Earth
The first phase of a project to map the diversity of cells found across multiple species has received funding of £3m ($3.8m USD) .
13 December 2023
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Mysterious microbiomes to get makeover under transformational £5.4M grant
A £5.4 million funding award is set to help researchers at the University of Manchester and Earlham Institute to unravel the rules of life in microbial communities.
23 November 2023
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Purple Bar moth is 1,000th species sequenced in landmark project
An ambitious project to sequence the genomes of all eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland has passed a major milestone.
08 November 2023
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Scientists one step closer to rewriting world’s first synthetic yeast genome
Scientists have engineered a chromosome entirely from scratch that will contribute to the production of the world’s first synthetic yeast.
18 October 2023
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Keeping it in the family – new study into how we share the best of our microbiomes with family members
Scientists on the Norwich Research Park are looking to recruit family members, and their microbiomes, to a study into how we share microbes between us.