News 2023

Four new PhD students have begun their studies this year with CGEM based researchers as supervisors or co-supervisors.

The Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine gathered for their 2023 Away Day.

The MRC Human Genetics Unit are collaborating with PrecisionLife and Action for M.E. in an innovative precision medicine project providing hope to millions in the UK: December 2023

Researchers from the MRC Human Genetics Unit show slower DNA methylation rates in longer lived mammals, such as whales, compared to shorter lived mammals, like rats: December 2023

The researchers were honoured at an award presentation at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer: November 2023

Alongside Professor Malcolm MacLeod, Professor Abbott will lead the community of neuroscience researchers: November 2023

Clinical academic dermatologist Professor Sara Brown was awarded the historically significant position in October 2023

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month we look back at our public Shining a Light event: October 2023

The Shadow SNP Spokesperson for Education and Science, Innovation and Technology visited the MRC Human Genetics Unit to learn about the study on 27 September.

Alina Kumukova, Andrii Iakovliev and Yavor Novev join the Institute of Genetics and Cancer.

The network, part of the £14 million MRC and NIHR funded UK Rare Disease National Platform, aims to improve the care of children and adults affected by renal ciliopathies.

The Institute of Genetics and Cancer welcomed nearly 200 visitors for Doors Open Day: September 2023

Advertising campaign and engagement activities across Scotland contribute to over 6,500 new participants signing up for the study.

New spinout AlveoGene, focused on transforming rare respiratory disease outcomes using inhaled gene therapy, has launched out of the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh and Imperial College London.

Congratulations to Dr Elias Friman on receiving the Postdoc Recognition Award for Student Supervision and Support - September 2023

Congratulations to Joanne Simpson and Simone Pelliciari, who were awarded grants from the Hastie Career Advancement Fund, and the 7 other IGC researchers who received Early Career Awards.

The essential work of technical staff has been highlighted through Technician Week events across the University in September

In a Europe-wide research collaboration, groups at the MRC Human Genetics Unit joined forces to investigate the formation of cysts and the development of polycystic liver disease

Clinical trials have begun for a drug candidate for hard-to-treat cancers, discovered at the University of Edinburgh and licensed by US biopharmaceutical company Nuvectis Pharma, Inc.

International team employs AlphaFold-Multimer to uncover the molecular role of the human disease protein DONSON; Sept 2023

Congratulations to Sarah Muise and Linda Nguyen for winning the 2023 John Inglis prize for best student talks: August 2023

Four new researchers have joined Dr Bankhead’s group in the last year.

MRC funded research gives insight into disease severity and co-existing conditions inn study participants: August 2023

Professor Helen Colhoun explains how the health data we obtain helps us treat disease.

Over 40 pupils from 37 schools across Scotland, from Nairn to the Scottish Borders, visited the Institute as part of their week-long look into scientific careers.

Ongoing research into how genetic code can influence health and disease has secured major financial investment from the Medical Research Council.

Danni Gadd and Alesha Hatton of the Marioni and McRae Research Groups visited each others Institutes to conduct collaborative research.

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Cancer have established a comprehensive map of epigenetic associations with common human diseases

On 9 June, the IGC hosted the 2023 meeting of the UK Eye Genetics Group (UK-EGG) – a community of clinicians and geneticists with a specialist interest in ophthalmic genetics.

Three drugs that could help stave off the effects of ageing have been discovered using artificial intelligence (AI), a study suggests.

Researchers have identified nine core genes that play a key role in increasing the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Professor Sara Brown has been elected to join the board of the largest dermatological research society in Europe, the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR).

Mihaly Badonyi and the Joe Marsh Research Group at the MRC Human Genetics Unit propose through a study published in Science Advances: May 2023

The Institute and Robertson Construction Central East joined forces for the week of Melanoma Monday to raise awareness of the risks of skin cancer: May 2023

The accuracy of detecting bowel cancer is increased to almost 100 per cent by carrying out a common test twice rather than once, a new study shows.

A new drug candidate for hard-to-treat cancers, discovered at the University of Edinburgh and licensed by biopharmaceutical company Nuvectis Pharma, Inc. has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to proceed to clinical trials.

A study led by our scientists indicates that a protein Focal Adhesion Kinase can promote immune evasion of pancreatic cancer through suppression of antigen processing and presentation.

Farhat Din becomes Scotland’s first-ever Colorectal Cancer Surgical Research Chair in a bid to tackle the nation's second-biggest cancer killer: April 2023

Winners of this year's College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Staff Recognition Awards were announced on 30th March at a celebration event at Summerhall: April 2023

Action Medical Research have funded Professor Abbott for two years to support pre-clinical testing of a therapy for a rare neurodevelopmental disorder.

​​​​​​​Around 5,500 people with severe developmental disorders now know the genetic cause of their condition, thanks to a nationwide study which will help improve diagnosis across the world: April 2023

Our scientists identify a novel function for Kindlin-1 in regulation of anti-tumour immunity.

Analysing changes to DNA in the blood can improve the ability to predict a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes within a decade.

The interaction between developmental signalling pathways and the anatomy of the human hand contribute to the formation of unique fingerprint patterns.

One in 100 people who have grandparents from Orkney have a gene variant that causes a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, study shows: March 2023

Edinburgh-led study identifies a novel function for the cell adhesion protein Mena at the nuclear membrane, where it regulates actin-nuclear lamina associations, nuclear architecture, chromatin repositioning and gene expression.

Genomes from over half-a-million participants, including from Viking Genes and Generation Scotland data, were analysed: March 2023

Didier, Cross-Disciplinary Research Fellow at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, attended Parliament to present his research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of STEM for BRITAIN on Monday 6th March.

Radiotherapy does not improve survival rates in older patients with early breast cancer, new research suggests.

Thousands of new volunteers have joined Generation Scotland in its new round of recruitment.

Dr Gerard Brien, a childhood cancer researcher and an international leader in the field of chromatin biology, joins the Institute of Genetics and Cancer.

Every adult and young person in Scotland is being invited to join a major study that will help shape the nation’s healthcare.

Collaborative work from the Bickmore group gives insight into how cell number affects cell fate: January 2023

Professor Cathy Abbott joins the Board of the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) in January 2023

New version of open-source bioimage analysis software QuPath released by team led by CGEM and IGC’s Dr Pete Bankhead

The development of new cancer treatments in Scotland is to receive major funding of up to £4m providing future hope for people diagnosed with the disease: January 2023

6 new PhD students began their studies with supervisors from CGEM

Dr Laird will carry out a 3 year research project in collaboration with CGEM and IGC’s Professor Tim Aitman, investigating the use of cell free DNA to monitor kidney cancer

The Boyd Research group presented the ‘Target the Lung’ public engagement activity to University of Edinburgh staff at an event organised to celebrate the University’s REF results.

The detection and management in routine care of inherited rare and serious conditions can be improved by genome sequencing, according to a new study.

Poster and presentation awards to team behind a recent study highlighting the use of digital droplet PCR to monitor HPV in cell-free DNA from patients with head and neck cancer, led by Professor Tim Aitman and Mr Iain Nixon

Patients with invasive breast cancer that had low scores on an investigational gene molecular signature had similar rates of local recurrence whether or not they received adjuvant radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery: December 2022

Using animal modelling and human transcriptomic datasets, Edinburgh researchers demonstrated that FAK-IL6 signalling amplifies pathways associated with immune suppression and poor patient prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

A recent study has demonstrated that, contrary to recent reports, the transcriptional output of oncogenes carried on extrachromosomal DNA in glioblastoma stem cells is driven by the copy number of the ecDNA, rather than their spatial localization into transcriptional hubs: December 2022

Radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery in conjunction with chemotherapy or tamoxifen to treat early breast cancer reduces the risk of the disease returning in the same breast in the next ten years but makes little difference to that risk thereafter. Nor does it improve overall survival after 30 years.