Wellcome Sanger Institute

Archive Page

This page is maintained as a historical record and is no longer being updated.

The Berriman research group moved to the University of Glasgow in 2023. This page is being maintained as a historical record of the group’s work while at the Sanger Institute and is no longer being updated.

We use large-scale genome and transcriptome sequencing along with phenotyping to understand the biology of important parasites. 

We start with the production and analysis of high quality reference genomes. The malaria parasite P. falciparum is the gold standard for this – we have curated its genome for more than a decade – but the approach is being extended to other more neglected parasites including schistosomes and whipworms.

We then use comparisons between genomes, performed over different evolutionary scales, to address questions about parasite biology. We use draft genomes across diverse clades to survey the broad differences between parasites and finer grained comparisons between more closely related species to study the evolution of genes associated with specific clades of parasites or parasite traits.

For two exemplar helminth species – Schistosoma mansoni and Trichuris muris, representing flatworms and nematodes, we use full infection lifecycles established at the Institute to facilitate phenotyping and in-depth functional genomics studies, from which genes or proteins can be selected for detailed investigation.

Core team

Photo of Dr Avril Coghlan

Dr Avril Coghlan

Senior Bioinformatician

Photo of Dr James Cotton

Dr James Cotton

Senior Staff Scientist

Photo of Dr Stephen Doyle

Dr Stephen Doyle

UKRI Future Leaders Fellow & Sanger Career Development Fellow

Photo of Nancy Holroyd

Nancy Holroyd

Samples and Partner Relationship Manager

Previous team members

Photo of Helen Beasley

Helen Beasley

Computer Biologist - Senior Genome Analyst

Photo of Dr Hayley M. Bennett

Dr Hayley M. Bennett

Postdoctoral Fellow

Photo of Karen Brooks

Karen Brooks

Computer Biologist - Senior Genome Analyst

Photo of Dr Ulrike Böhme

Dr Ulrike Böhme

Plasmodium Curator

Photo of Dr Caroline Durrant

Dr Caroline Durrant

Postdoctoral Fellow

Photo of Dr Susanne U Franssen

Dr Susanne U Franssen

Postdoctoral Fellow

Photo of Bhavana Harsha

Bhavana Harsha

Senior Bioinformatician

Photo of Dr Jane Lomax

Dr Jane Lomax

Senior Bioinformatician

Photo of Dr Thomas D Otto

Dr Thomas D Otto

Senior Staff Scientist

Photo of Christian Kwasi Owusu

Christian Kwasi Owusu

Former PhD Student at the Sanger Institute

Photo of Dr Adam James Reid

Dr Adam James Reid

Senior Staff Scientist

Photo of Dr Gabriel Rinaldi

Dr Gabriel Rinaldi

Senior Staff Scientist

Photo of Dr Sascha Steinbiss

Dr Sascha Steinbiss

Senior Software Developer

Photo of Alan Tracey

Alan Tracey

Senior Computer Biologist

 

Publications

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