Topic description and stories

Cambridge has played a central role in the story of genomics: from uncovering the structure of DNA through to inventing a super-fast way of reading the genetic code. Today, researchers are using genomic information to make more accurate diagnoses, enable personalised medicine, tackle threats like COVID-19, and even reconstruct the ancient history of humans.

The two 31,000-year-old milk teeth found at the Yana Rhinoceros Horn Site in Russia which led to the discovery of a new group of ancient Siberians

DNA from 31,000-year-old milk teeth leads to discovery of new group of ancient Siberians

05 Jun 2019

Two children’s milk teeth buried deep in a remote archaeological site in north eastern Siberia have revealed a previously unknown group of people...

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Close-up of cigarettes

‘Fingerprint database’ could help scientists to identify new cancer culprits

16 Apr 2019

Scientists in Cambridge and London have developed a catalogue of DNA mutation ‘fingerprints’ that could help doctors pinpoint the environmental...

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Cambridge in the 2019 New Year honours list

28 Dec 2018

Members of collegiate Cambridge recognised for outstanding contributions to society in science, education, engineering and art

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Professor Eske Willerslev with Donna and Joey, two members of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone tribe.

Ancient DNA analysis unlocks secrets of Ice Age tribes in the Americas

09 Nov 2018

Scientists have sequenced 15 ancient genomes spanning from Alaska to Patagonia and were able to track the movements of the first humans as they...

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Agouti mice

Studies raise questions over how epigenetic information is inherited

30 Oct 2018

Evidence has been building in recent years that our diet, our habits or traumatic experiences can have consequences for the health of our children –...

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Many cases of dementia may arise from non-inherited DNA ‘spelling mistakes’

15 Oct 2018

Only a small proportion of cases of dementia are thought to be inherited – the cause of the vast majority is unknown. Now, in a study published today...

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Mass burial of battle victims from the Xiongnu period in Omnogobi, Mongolia, from which scientists extracted ancient DNA from for the study.

Oldest genetic evidence of Hepatitis B virus found in ancient DNA from 4,500 year-old skeletons

09 May 2018

An extinct strain of the human Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been discovered in Bronze Age human skeletons found in burial sites across Europe and Asia...

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Major study of genetics of breast cancer provides clues to mechanisms behind the disease

23 Oct 2017

Seventy-two new genetic variants that contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer have been identified by a major international collaboration...

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Guy

Restless legs syndrome study identifies 13 new genetic risk variants

13 Oct 2017

A new study into the genetics underlying restless legs syndrome has identified 13 previously-unknown genetic risk variants, while helping inform...

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Detail of one of the burials from Sunghir, in Russia.

Prehistoric humans are likely to have formed mating networks to avoid inbreeding

05 Oct 2017

Early humans seem to have recognised the dangers of inbreeding at least 34,000 years ago, and developed surprisingly sophisticated social and mating...

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Genome editing reveals role of gene important for human embryo development

20 Sep 2017

Researchers have used genome editing technology to reveal the role of a key gene in human embryos in the first few days of development. This is the...

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DNA

Family history and location of genetic fault affect risk for carriers of key breast and ovarian cancer genes

20 Jun 2017

A large scale study of women carrying faults in important cancer genes should enable doctors to provide better advice and counselling for treatments...

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