The Wellcome Trust celebrates a year of remarkable achievement
11 February 2010
The 2009 Annual Review highlights many of the Trust's activities over the last 12 months.
Among these are the genome-wide association studies that have identified several hundred genetic sites influencing common diseases. As well as specific conditions such as Alzheimer's and Crohn's disease, such studies are also being used to explore physiological traits relevant to disease, such as blood glucose levels or blood pressure.
The last 12 months also saw the publication of the finished schistosome genome sequence. Responsible for 200 million cases of the disease schistosomiasis each year, medical researchers hope the sequence will lead to new treatments. The sequence is also teaching evolutionary biologists more about pivotal stages of evolution: the development of organs and the bilateral body plan.
Also in genetics, Trust-funded scientists have uncovered more about the genetic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the most common form of motor neurone disease.
Elsewhere, researchers discovered that the spores of the superbug Clostridium difficile - key to the bacteria's virulence - may also be its Achilles heel, offering hope for new treatments.
The year also saw a promising new antimalarial compound enter the Medicines for Malaria Venture drug development pipeline and researchers show that tweaking compromised antibiotics can overcome drug resistance.
Outside of the laboratory, 'The Operation: Surgery Live' was a tremendous success on Channel 4 television and on the internet. Viewers watched live open-heart surgery, awake brain surgery and other operations, with the opportunity to ask the surgeons direct questions and expose some of the mystery surrounding what are routine - but nonetheless remarkable - operations.
And 2009 was of course Darwin year, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. The Trust took part with a range of education and public engagement initiatives, including our popular 'Great Plant Hunt' experiment kits for schools and the spectacular 'Tree of Life' animation.
These are just a few of the Trust's 2009 activities. Read about more of them by downloading the 2009 Annual Review as a PDF [2.3MB] or order a print version from our website.
Image: Colour-enhanced image of a blood clot, showing many red blood cells and a single white blood cell in a mesh of fibrin. The red blood cells are crenated - spiky - because they are dehydrated. Credit: Anne Weston
