Lora Jolly (formerly Downes)

Project Manager

I am a Project Manager in the Tree of Life Programme, where I lead project management for Wellcome Sanger Institute’s contribution to the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability (AEGIS), focusing on modern reference genome generation. In addition, I provide project management support to Faculty-led research and contribute to the coordination of project delivery within the programme.

Before joining the Wellcome Sanger Institute in May 2023, I received a BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Infectious Diseases) from the University of Edinburgh, followed by an MPhil in Pathology from the University of Cambridge. After completing my MPhil, I worked in laboratory and data management roles in a commercial setting, focused on protein research tools.

As a Project Manager in the Tree of Life Programme, I primarily lead project management for the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s contribution to the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability (AEGIS), which focusses on modern reference genome generation to support ancient environmental DNA analysis. Working as part of a collaborative team investigating biodiversity genomics, I oversee the coordination and delivery of project activities, including budgets, timelines and deliverables. Alongside this, I provide operational and project management support to Faculty members and their teams, enabling global collaborations in sampling and sequencing.

My timeline

• Project Manager, Tree of Life Programme

• Involvement in AEGIS

• Involvement in Project Psyche

• Project Coordinator, Tree of Life Programme