Sheerin, Edel

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  Working at the Sanger Institute is truly unique. We put collaboration, innovation and support for people as individuals at the centre of everything we do. Join us to help shape the future by delivering life-changing science with the reach, scale, and creativity to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.
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  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
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    Join our community of world class thinkers and professionals at the Sanger Institute located in Cambridge. Together we achieve life-changing science.
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    We are committed to training the next generation of pioneering genome scientists and clinicians. At the Wellome Sanger Institute we give PhD students and postdocs all the tools they need to succeed in the field of genomics research.
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  Our vision and mission is to deliver world-leading genomics research in collaboration with research partners across the globe. Discover how our funding gives our leadership the independence to conduct bold, ambitious science that pioneers new fields in health, disease and conservation.
  About Us
  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
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  - Our Vision
    By focusing on fundamental discovery research led by our faculty and employing our unique scale in cutting-edge data generation and analysis, we deliver discoveries not easily made elsewhere.
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    From providing fundamental resources for understanding biology to exploring cancer genomes and the effects of variation in human genomes, our work lays the foundations for personalised medicine. We also reveal the secrets of human development and how infectious diseases evolve and spread.
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  The diversity in skills and knowledge that we all bring make our Institute the thriving ideas factory that it is. Discover how we support each other to reach our full potential and thrive. We celebrate diversity and seek to ensure that everyone has equal access to professional and career development opportunities.
  About Us
  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
  Read more
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  We play a pivotal role in helping to shape Government and International research policies. We also lead the way in developing guidance to support our scientists to carry out their research ethically, equitably and responsibly.
  About Us
  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
  Read more
  - Influencing Policy
    We advise all levels of government both in the UK and across the world on the the role, impact and importance of genomic and life science research.
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  About Us
  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
  Read more
- Campus Connections
  Campus Connections
  We are sited on the Wellcome Genome Campus at the very heart of a global hub of fundamental and applied genomic research, education and engagement. It is home to some of the world’s foremost institutes and organisations using genomes and biodata to deliver science with the reach, scale and imagination to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges and maximise societal benefit.
  About Us
  We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
  Read more
About
We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
About Us
We tackle some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research. This demands science at scale; a visionary and creative approach to research that pushes the boundaries of our understanding in ever new and exciting ways.
Read more
Science
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  We freely and openly provide the global research community with a wide range of genomics software, protocols, and platforms.
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  The Sanger Institute has published papers in some of the most prestigious scientific journals. We aim to publish research that will transform biology and improve healthcare.
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  Sanger Institute’s Research Policies are designed to provide guidance to help researchers navigate the legislation relating to their research and to ensure that research is ethical and legal.
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  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  Science & technology
  Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
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  - COVID-19
    The Sanger Institute played a major role in the genomic surveillance of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing large-scale high-throughput sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and analysis of its evolution and spread in the UK.
  - Sanger Seminar Series
    Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020-2021 we hosted a series of monthly freely available and open virtual seminars. From using genomic approaches to map all cell types in the human body, understand how cancer develops, and track the evolution and spread of global diseases, our senior scientists and faculty presented the latest developments in their field.
Science
Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease or analytic focus. In all cases, the studies provide insights into human, pathogen, cellular evolution, the phenotypic and hence biological consequences of genome variation and the processes which cause mutations.
Science & technology
Our science is organised into six Scientific Programmes, each defining a major area of research with a particular biological, disease, analytic or generative focus.
Read more
People
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    Our Associate Faculty combine their skills and knowledge with the Sanger Institute’s unique abilities to conduct data generation and analysis at scale to pioneer genomic research in new areas.
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- All Sanger Staff
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  Almost 1,000 scientists, developers, engineers and skilled professionals work together to deliver the Sanger Institute’s cutting-edge genomic research.
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  Our science is founded on the talents, imagination and curiosity of our people. Our wet-lab scientists, bioinformaticians, developers, engineers and skilled administrators work together to deliver cutting-edge research. Join us
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People
Almost 1,000 scientists, developers, engineers and skilled professionals work together to deliver the Sanger Institute’s cutting-edge genomic research.
Join us
Our science is founded on the talents, imagination and curiosity of our people. Our wet-lab scientists, bioinformaticians, developers, engineers and skilled administrators work together to deliver cutting-edge research. Join us
Read more
Innovation
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  We deliver therapeutic, diagnostic and production benefits in areas as diverse as cancer, immunology, public health and personalised treatment.
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  We apply our science to benefit society by empowering innovators and engaging with businesses and investors - driven by Sanger Genomics Innovation
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Innovation
We deliver therapeutic, diagnostic and production benefits in areas as diverse as cancer, immunology, public health and personalised treatment.
Sanger Innovation
We apply our science to benefit society by empowering innovators and engaging with businesses and investors - driven by Sanger Genomics Innovation
Read more
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Latest News

23 Apr 2025

Childhood exposure to bacterial toxin may be triggering colorectal cancer epidemic among the young
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15 Apr 2025

New collaboration to uncover how the hidden language of genes shapes our immune system
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9 Apr 2025

New research further translates the language of the genome
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News and Blogs
News and stories Announcements, articles and blogs from the cutting edge of genomic research.
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Edel Sheerin

Technical Specialist

Lawniczak Group
Evolutionary genetics

Alumni

This person is a member of Sanger Institute Alumni.

Technical specialist focused on transferring amplicon panels to the ONT platform

Background and research interests

I am a technical specialist at Sanger working on transferring amplicon panels (BIOSCAN and ANOSPP projects) from Illumina/PacBio platforms to the latest sequencing technologies (ONT) therefore making the science more accessible, cheaper and faster.

In parallel to this I am also interested in the application of molecular biology tools to study wildlife populations. I have utilised these tools to address different research questions throughout my career such as; microsatellites to assess population genetics of otter and squid, DNA barcoding to identify cryptic cephalopod species and flying insects, PCR/qPCR assays to detect the presence of mammals through non-invasive sampling.

I am interested in population genomics, evolutionary biology and biodiversity monitoring. I wish to better understand evolutionary relationships, species boundaries and population connectivity.

My timeline

Technical Specialist Lawniczak research group
ARA Lawniczak research group
ARA Tree of Life Project Wellcome Sanger Institute
Cephs and Chefs INTERREG project National University of Ireland Galway

Wellcome Sanger Institute

Programmes and Facilities

Programme

Tree of Life

Investigates the diversity of complex organisms through sequencing and cellular technologies. We generate and use high-quality genome sequences to explore the ...

My publications

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