Genomics in Action: A Day at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a work experience insight day at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Saffron Walden.

The day focused on genomics and the incredible work that is being done at the institute. We started with a hands-on microscopy activity in which we looked at human blood cells, spinal cord cells, muscle tissue, and bacteria and had to identify each one. It was really interesting to see such different cell types up close and think about how much information is contained in something so small.

We then learnt about what genomics is and how it is applied. One thing that really stuck with me from the morning was learning that humans are actually incredibly genetically similar - only 0.5% of our DNA is different. It's strange to think that all the variation between people comes from such a tiny proportion of our genome. We also heard a surprising fact that some plants, like mistletoe, can have larger genomes than humans, which really challenged my assumptions about complexity and genetics.

During the break, we had the chance to talk to people who work at the institute. This was one of my favourite parts of the day because it made careers in science feel much more real and accessible. Hearing about their journeys, A-level choices, and what they actually do day-to-day gave me a much clearer idea of the different paths into scientific research.

After that, we visited the Open Lab, where we watched a video about the importance of genomics and its future. We also learned about the institute's role during the COVID-19 pandemic. When our lateral flow tests came back positive and we had to go take PCR tests, the majority of those positive samples were sent to the institute. The institute then used genomic sequencing to track the virus and understand its spread. When the video ended, the large screen split to reveal the sequencing labs behind a one-way glass wall. Being able to see the labs where DNA sequencing actually happens was really interesting. The open lab also had the human genome printed across multiple huge hardback books, with each base printed in a tiny font. It really put into perspective just how vast our genetic information is.

In the afternoon, we got to do practical lab work on our own. We used micropipettes and carried out agarose gel electrophoresis, a technique which is used to separate DNA fragments. Because DNA is negatively charged, it moves towards the positive electrode through the gel. The staff at the institute described the gel as a 'mesh', which means that the smaller fragments travel further than larger ones. I thought that it was a bit like chromatography, especially when we saw the results.

  

We also had a tour of the data centre, where all the genomic data is stored and processed. The scale of it was incredible (and surprisingly loud) with cooling systems running constantly to prevent the servers from overheating.

                                     

To finish the day, we learned more about DNA sequencing and how genetic information is translated. We worked through how sequences of bases form codons, which correspond to amino acids, and ultimately proteins. Using sequence data, we even carried out a BLAST search (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) to identify genetic matches. It made me feel like I was doing real bioinformatics!

Overall, this experience showed me just how powerful genomics is, from understanding human biology to tackling global challenges like pandemics. It also showed me what a career in scientific research, particularly in genomics, could look like. This was such an amazing and inspiring day, and I'm really grateful for this opportunity!