Institute of Genetics and Cancer
@uoe-igc
Our mission is to improve the lives of people living with genetic disease and cancer through research.
Neck and back pain could be caused by changes in gene activity that trigger the breakdown of the spine’s natural shock absorbers, new research suggests. Read more about this study involving @kaguelab.bsky.social, @bristoluni.bsky.social and @arthritisuk.bsky.social 👉https://edin.ac/4hVagYR
“Controlled chaos” “Like a Gilbert and Sullivan patter song without the singing” “I never knew a human could sweat that much” Intrigued? Then sign up for Cameron Wyatt's show 'It all went wrong at legs': Saturday 22 August, 1.45pm: edin.ac/4fMZ2D0 Tuesday 25 August, 5.35pm: edin.ac/4wBtXJP
#ThrowbackThursday - It's amazing to see how our buildings have developed over the years to accommodate the growth of the Institute and its research facilities. Keep an eye out about how you can learn more at Doors Open Day at the end of September 👀
Calling all alumni of the MRC Human Genetics Unit at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social. Please join us on 23 September to mark the last ever intake of PhD students to the MRC HGU, and to celebrate the achievements of many of our alumni and the current PhD cohort. Register here 👉 edin.ac/4uLXn6m
Congratulations to Professor Andrew Jackson who has been awarded a 2.5 million euros @erc.europa.eu Advanced Grant to study the 'Mechanisms of Epigenetic Ageing and Sizing' #ERCAdG Read more 👉 edin.ac/4uMJULv @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Filip Stefaniak, a Senior Researcher in the Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering Laboratory at @iimcb.bsky.social, undertook a research stay in Kathryn Ball’s lab at IGC. The visit was organised as part of the study visit programme of the #RACE_HorizonEU project. Read more here 👉 edin.ac/3Quhqbd
Only a week to go until the @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social's Three Minute Thesis Competition Final where nine finalists from the three Colleges will compete to deliver the best research presentation in just three minutes and with one slide. Find out more and reserve your ticket here 👉 edin.ac/3UKlYIR
Congratulations to @edinnovations.bsky.social Entrepreneur-in-Residence Jeff Wright who won the Impact Enabler award at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social's Impact Festival for his work on the Viking Genes project, led by Jim Wilson, which received significant funding from our MRC Human Genetics Unit.
We were delighted to welcome Julia Vitarello, Founder of Mila’s Miracle Foundation, to IGC to discuss her work and our research into rare genetic diseases. We are committed to helping establish a clear regulatory pathway and a sustainable, workable business model for individualised therapies.
Scientists from as far afield as Brazil & Poland are taking part in a week-long Edinburgh Super-Resolution Imaging Consortium (ESRIC) Specialist School, including a day of hands-on workshops at IGC today. More info 👉https://edin.ac/4wrZK04 @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social @heriotwattuni.bsky.social
For #InternationalNursesDay, we spoke to our team of research nurses at IGC to find out more about their roles. Read more here 👉 edin.ac/42qr6WO @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Today is #WorldOvarianCancerDay. It is the sixth most common cause of female cancer death in the UK. At IGC, Professor and Honorary Consultant Charlie Gourley leads a group looking into this disease. Find out more here 👉 edin.ac/4dxeZxi @cruk-si.bsky.social @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Liz Patton brought a taste of Edinburgh to India when she delivered the Myron Gordon Award lecture at the European Society for Pigment Cell Research's International Pigment Cell Conference in New Delhi. Read more about the conference 👉 ipcc2026.com
This is a powerful campaign by @actionforme.bsky.social highlighting the debilitating effect of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). At IGC, @cgatist.bsky.social leads the @decodemestudy.bsky.social, the world’s largest genetic study into ME/CFS, which has identified 8 genetic signals: edin.ac/4n6841u
On 5 May, IGC is hosting the first in a series of talks focusing on research & innovation across @edinburghmedschool.bsky.social to mark 300 years of life-changing medical education & research. The event is open to staff & students at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social. Register here 👉 edin.ac/4t56VZ7
On #EarthDay🌍 colleagues at IGC have been taking part in Carbon Literacy training. Read more about @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social sustainability plans 👉 sustainability.ed.ac.uk
And find out more about the programme and how to apply here 👉 edin.ac/3EKJuBd
“It doesn’t seem that long, but mirrors argue otherwise.” Dr Chris Boyd is retiring after starting work at the University of Edinburgh 40 years ago. You can read more about his long career here 👉 edin.ac/4dkCom5 @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Luke Boulter @boulterlab.bsky.social who has been awarded a Senior Cancer Research Fellowship! edin.ac/4cmZZR9
Gout is on the rise, with global cases increasing significantly over the past few decades. Researchers at IGC are looking for adults with gout to take part in a 1-to-1 recorded interview to better understand patient expectations and experiences of management of gout. Read more 👉 edin.ac/4bSEnf5
Join us tonight for a @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social Inaugural Lecture to learn how advances in DNA sequencing, AI-based modelling & large-scale genome analysis are improving genetic diagnosis, deepening our understanding of tumour evolution & shaping targeted treatments. Book here 👉 edin.ac/4tPhvoY
Dr Lana Talmane is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Professor @mstaylor.bsky.social's research group at IGC. In this interview with One Health Genomics Edinburgh, she talks about her work on mutations in the non-coding genome, her career so far, and interests outside of science 👉 edin.ac/3P3Uyyj
IGC is looking for two Postdoctoral Research Fellows in Molecular Epidemiology for the MRC-funded grant 'Blood-and saliva-based DNA methylation biomarkers of disease' which will explore epigenetic biomarkers of organ ageing, proteins & disease. More info & apply here by 20 March 👉 edin.ac/4aYx7Pt
On International Women's Day we spoke to some of our female leaders about what inspires them in their roles. @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social #IWD2026 - Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.
Today we're celebrating International Women's Day with quotes from some of our female leaders about what inspires them in their roles. @helendnickerson.bsky.social @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social #IWD2026 - Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.
Not long to go until the first @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social Inaugural Lecture Showcase of 2026. Join us at IGC on 12 March at 5pm as @csemple.bsky.social and @jmarshlab.bsky.social share their career and research journeys so far. Sign up for the free event and drinks reception 👉️ edin.ac/4kJmOSN
We’re excited to reveal that team CAUSE led by Ludmil Alexandrov at @ucsandiego.bsky.social has been selected by @cancergrand.bsky.social to receive up to $25m over approx 5 years to take on one of cancer’s toughest challenges. Congratulations @mstaylor.bsky.social from IGC & team: edin.ac/4kYC1iR
In our second blog about the impact of new technologies on biomedical research, PhD student Allen Cheng focuses on how advanced DNA sequencing is transforming medicine. Read more 👉 edin.ac/4r0DO8u @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
We asked our PhD students to write about the impact of new technologies on biomedical research. In this blog, Yuqin Wang focuses on the impact of spatial omics 👉 edin.ac/4kVsZTA @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Today is #RareDiseaseDay. In the last of our blogs looking at the importance and challenges of ensuring equity in rare and genetic disease research, PhD student Cléo Pereira de Almeida has written this moving blog about how her brother's diagnostic odyssey led her to do a PhD👉 edin.ac/4r3W00N