Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading centres of genome sequencing and analysis.

Under founder director John (now Sir John) Sulston, the Sanger Institute spearheaded the UK contribution to the Human Genome Project. It sequenced almost one-third of the human genome (the largest single contribution) and was instrumental in ensuring that sequence data were made freely available for the benefit of all.

As well as the human genome, the Sanger Institute has sequenced the genomes of numerous disease-causing microbes, including those that cause tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy and diphtheria.

Under the current director Allan Bradley, focus has shifted to the use of genome sequence data and the development of high-throughput methods to answer important biological questions and the role of genes in health and disease. The breadth of the Institute's work has expanded, and in the past two years nearly 20 new senior project leaders have been recruited. New laboratories are being built to house these new studies.

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is named in honour of Fred Sanger, a double Nobel Laureate who devised the method for DNA sequencing used in the Human Genome Project.

• Science at the Sanger Institute
  An overview of its key areas of research.
• Careers at the Sanger Institute
  A guide to PhD and research opportunities.
• History of the Sanger Institute
  The origins of the Institute.
• Location
  How to get to the Institute.
• Achievements
  Some of the Institute's major successes.