Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: mechanisms and consequences for metabolism and ageing
Lead Research Organisation:
Babraham Institute
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Epigenetic changes that occur during the lifetime of an individual are generally not inherited by the next generation, as this could subvert epigenetic reprogramming events needed to reinstate totipotency. Yet, some genomic elements remain incompletely reprogrammed, and may thus represent a key genomic vehicle for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance47. Transgenerational inheritance requires that the germline remembers exposure to environmental changes and allows for these to be inherited to the next generation(s). Nutritional stress can mediate transgenerational memory through histone marks and small RNA pathways in invertebrates and DNA methylation changes in mice48,49. As observed in many studies, the inheritance mediated by epigenetic modifications reverts back to wild-type after one or a few generations. However, some epigenetic changes can lead to more permanent genome rearrangements, when coupled to genomic instability. For example, nutritional stress can lead to instability of high copy number ribosomal DNA (rDNA), resulting in copy number variation (CNV) at rDNA loci. There are many key aspects that remain unresolved in the field and this Objective tackles two essential questions: firstly, what are the mechanisms by which epigenetic reprogramming normally returns cells to a naïve and totipotent stage and could these mechanisms thereby mediate transgenerational inheritance upon experimental manipulation. Secondly, can, and if so how could, stressors such as age and nutrition contribute to inheritance by modifying CNV through gametes with consequences for metabolism and ageing in subsequent generations.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Organisations
- Babraham Institute (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Copenhagen (Collaboration)
- AstraZeneca (Collaboration)
- University College Dublin (Collaboration)
- Artios Pharma Limited (Collaboration)
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Collaboration)
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Collaboration)
- RIKEN (Collaboration)
- ETH Zurich (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT (Collaboration)
- EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL - EBI) (Collaboration)
- University of Cambridge (Collaboration)
- University of Sussex (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (Collaboration)
- Cambridge Epigenetix (Collaboration)
- University of Edinburgh (Collaboration)
- Adrestia Therapeutics Ltd (Collaboration)
Publications
Brighton PJ
(2017)
Clearance of senescent decidual cells by uterine natural killer cells in cycling human endometrium.
in eLife
Channathodiyil P
(2022)
Escape from G1 arrest during acute MEK inhibition drives the acquisition of drug resistance.
in NAR cancer
Channathodiyil P
(2022)
Escape from G1 arrest during acute MEK inhibition drives the acquisition of drug resistance.
in NAR cancer
Eckersley-Maslin MA
(2018)
Dynamics of the epigenetic landscape during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.
in Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology
Hadjicharalambous A
(2023)
Checkpoint kinase interaction with DNA polymerase alpha regulates replication progression during stress.
in Wellcome open research
Hanna C
(2019)
Endogenous retroviral insertions drive non-canonical imprinting in extra-embryonic tissues
in Genome Biology
| Description | Epigenetic changes that accumulate during the lifetime of an individual and that occur in response to the environment are usually erased by epigenetic reprogramming to reinstate pluripotency. However, some genomic elements remain incompletely reprogrammed and can be heritable for several generations. We studied several examples of epigenetic inheritance. First, we observed that a high-fat diet during gestation can result in the inheritance of addictive behaviours, obesity and insulin resistance in the progeny for up to 3 generations (PMID 30315171). Second, cold exposure of males before mating results in improved systemic metabolism and protection from diet-induced obesity in male-offspring, which may be transmitted by an altered methylome in cold exposed sperm (PMID 29988127). As observed in many studies, the inheritance mediated by epigenetic modifications reverts back to wild-type after one or a few generations; thus, we find that deregulation of imprinted gene expression induced by high-fat diet during pregnancy is observed in the offspring exposed in utero as well as their offspring (exclusively on female transmission), but not in the subsequent generation (PMID 35513363). A key question is whether defects can be attributed to the epigenetic state of the gamete genome, or the competence of the gamete to regulate critical epigenetic reprogramming events in the early embryo. We found that cytoplasmic structures in the oocyte, for which defects are known to disrupt imprinting, are essential for regulating intracellular localisation of epigenetic factors such as DNMT1 to ensure faithful remodelling of the epigenome of the zygote (PMID 38453481). Some epigenetic changes can lead to more permanent genome rearrangements when coupled to genomic instability. We learned that in yeast copy number variation of environmentally-responsive genes can be induced in response to the environment, driven by conflicts between replication and transcription (PMID 28654659; 35018465). We also characterised the accumulation of extrachromosomal circular DNA during ageing (PMID 32609810), which has the potential to provide an adaptive advantage to aged cells by increasing genetic heterogeneity (PMID 32296868), and can also be driven by the expression of environmentally responsive genes (PMID 31794573). Although ageing in yeast has been widely associated with extrachromosomal circular DNA from the ribosomal DNA cluster, we found that extrachromosomal DNA has little or no impact on molecular changes, phenotypes or loss of fitness during yeast ageing, whereas these are tightly associated with rDNA derived partial chromosome duplications (PMID 37643194). Besides transgenerational inheritance or induced genomic rearrangements, there is a vastly under-appreciated maternal-effect role played by the placenta. A large-scale phenotyping effort that we were involved in demonstrated that at least 60 embryonic lethal and sub-viable mouse knockout lines show placental phenotypes. These correlate strongly with brain, heart and vascular defects (PMID 29539633). This work can be mined to identify novel molecular hubs that may be critical for placental development (PMID 30319550) and molecular studies that uncouple this relationship can be further studied using placental organoids in vitro (PMID 30487605). |
| Exploitation Route | We were committed to making all research findings openly available in publications, through deposition of datasets on openly accessible repositories, and presentation widely at conferences and workshops. Protocols developed to produce the research findings are also fully described in the respective publications. Our work on the identification of critical genes in placental development, and the linkages with brain and cardiovascular defects, can be mined to identify novel molecular hubs not only for a deeper understanding of placental development, but also for links to cardiovascular and other complications arising from placental insufficiency. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | The Epigenetics ISP was involved in several engagement activities with secondary school students. For example, the Casanueva group obtained a Royal Society Partnership Grant in 2017, to introduce Colchester High School students to the use of model organisms to study ageing. Another example is that the Epigenetics ISP supported the Sophianum School in the Netherlands during 2017 and 2018. The Institute set challenge projects relating to the Institute's animal care facilities and Epigenetics to teams of secondary and sixth-form students as part of the national Dutch Technasium scheme. The collaboration won an Openness Award from Understanding Animal Research in December 2017. In 2021, we launched an exciting new "Epigenetics Escape Room" as a virtual event at the Cambridge Science Festival to engage audiences in the principles of epigenetics research and consequences for lifelong health, and in 2019 engaged with more senior audiences through the Institute for Continuing Learning. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Description | Chair of SAB Centre for Trophoblast Research University of Cambridge |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Has changed the perception of placenta and trophoblast in reproduction |
| Description | BBSRC Pioneer - Do stubborn drug resistant fungal infections circumvent the rules of adaptive evolution? |
| Amount | £205,259 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y512783/1 |
| Organisation | Babraham Institute |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 09/2025 |
| Description | Flagship |
| Amount | € 1,000,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 02/2019 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Description | Investigator Award |
| Amount | £2,600,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 210754/Z/18/Z |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 09/2023 |
| Title | C elegans Metabolic Reconstruction Model |
| Description | Merged and re-annotated C elegans Metabolic Reconstruction Model |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This is a great improvement to the C elegans research community |
| Title | PCR Bayes |
| Description | Novel algorithm to quantify expression and biological variability of steady state transcripts |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This is a novel tool which extends the capabilities of C elegans researchers to quantitate biological noise in single worms |
| Title | Analysing the impact of extrachromosomal rDNA circles (ERCs) on the ageing yeast transcriptome |
| Description | Here we analysed the widespread disruption of gene expression that accompanies yeast ageing, and surprisingly observed that this is completely independent of ERCs. Furthermore, we could not find subsets of genes that are differentially regulated in the presence of ERCs. High throughput imaging showed that the accumulation of Tom70-GFP which accompanies the onset of cell division defects at the Senescence Entry Point (SEP) also correlated poorly to ERC abundance, but allowed determination of a gene expression signature for the SEP. This signature included overexpression of mRNA from the chromosome XII region between the rDNA and the telomere (ChrXIIr), which has been previously noted to amplify during ageing. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Underlies a publication showing that ageing in yeast is not caused by abundant circular DNA but rather by chromosomal fragments. |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE207429 |
| Title | Characterisation of mRNA expression and replication fork stalling in copper-treated yeast |
| Description | Here we analyse steady state mRNA levels and yH2A-marked replication fork stalling sites in S. cerevisiae Overall design Histone modification (yH2A, gammaH2A) and transcriptome (mRNA-Seq) from wildtype BY4741 cells grown in YPD and treated for 4 hours with 0 or 1mM CuSO4 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Hull RM, Cruz C, Jack CV, Houseley J. Environmental change drives accelerated adaptation through stimulated copy number variation. PLoS Biol 2017 Jun;15(6):e2001333. PMID: 28654659 |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE86283 |
| Title | Epigenomic analysis of Padi6 mutation |
| Description | Transcriptomic (scRNA-seq) and methylation (scBS-seq) profiling datasets of mouse oocytes and 2-cell embryos deficient in cytoplasmic structural protein PADI6. Published in: 1. Giaccari, C., Cecere, F., Argenziano, L., Pagano, A., Galvao, A., Acampora, D., Rossi, G., Mele, B. H., Acurzio, B., Coonrod, S., Cubellis, M. V., Cerrato, F., Andrews, S., Cecconi, S., Kelsey, G. and Riccio, A. (2024) A maternal-effect Padi6 variant causes nuclear and cytoplasmic abnormalities in oocytes, as well as failure of epigenetic reprogramming and zygotic genome activation in embryos. Genes and Development 38, 131-150. PMID: 38453481 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to say |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE245426 |
| Title | Genome-wide analysis of DNA replication stress in the Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line IMR32 by TrAEL-seq |
| Description | TrAEL-seq was used to assess the impact of Triapine (3AP), a RRM2 inhibitor, on replication fork accumulation and changes to the replication profile of IMR32 cells. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Underlies a publication addressing potential drug against neuroblastoma. This is being considered for clinical trial. |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE186122 |
| Title | Genome-wide analysis of replication fork locations in hydroxyurea-treated Saccharomyces cerevisiae by TrAEL-seq |
| Description | Characterisation of replication fork progression in Mrc1 and Pol1 mutants in yeast |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Underlies a publication - PMID: 37766847 |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE235881 |
| Title | Multiomic analysis of mouse oocytes at nuclear maturation |
| Description | Transcriptomic (scRNA-seq) and DNA methylation (scBS-seq) profiling datasets of individual mouse germinal-vesicle (GV) oocytes at immature non-surrounded nucleolus (NSN) and mature surrounded nucleolus (SN) stages. Profiling for histone modification H3K36me3 (ChIP-seq) of bulk population GV oocytes. Published in: 5. Demond, H., Khan, S., Castillo-Fernandez, J., Hanna, C. W. and Kelsey, G. (2025) Transcriptome and DNA methylation profiling during the NSN to SN transition in mouse oocytes. BMC Molecular and Cell Biology 24, 2. PMID: 39754059 Available GEO submissions: GSE274327; GSE274300; GSE274329 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to say |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE274300 |
| Title | RNA-binding proteins control the G2-M checkpoint of the germinal center B cell [TrAEL-seq] |
| Description | How germinal centre (GC) B cells undergo rapid cell division while maintaining genome stability is poorly understood. Here, we show that the RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 act downstream of antigen-sensing and protect GC B cells from replication stress by controlling a cell cycle-related RNA post-transcriptional regulon. ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 safeguard faithful completion of mitosis by restraining the expression of CDK1 and cyclin B1, whilst controlling their activity through regulation of a p21-mediated negative feedback loop. In the absence of ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2, GC B cells arrest in G2-M and die by apoptosis, resulting in curtailed GC responses. This is associated with stalling of the DNA replication fork at active replication initiation zones, which causes replication stress and increased activity of the ATR/CHK1 DNA damage response. Our findings reveal that gene regulation by RNA-binding proteins is essential for a functional G2-M checkpoint to operate in GC B cells. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Preprint: RNA-binding proteins control the G2-M checkpoint of the germinal centre B cell View ORCID ProfileFiamma Salerno, View ORCID ProfileAlex J. Whale, View ORCID ProfileLouise S. Matheson, View ORCID ProfileWilliam S. Foster, View ORCID ProfileMelanie Stammers, View ORCID ProfileSarah E. Bell, View ORCID ProfileDaniel J. Hodson, View ORCID ProfileMichelle A. Linterman, View ORCID ProfileJonathan Houseley, View ORCID ProfileMartin Turner doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.01.626220 |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE279992 |
| Title | Single-cell multi-omics data in oocytes in diet study |
| Description | Single-cell RNA-seq and BS-seq datasets in oocytes from females exposed to gestational high-fat diet |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to say |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE175538 |
| Title | The fork protection complex generates DNA topological stress-induced DNA damage while ensuring full and faithful genome duplication [TrAEL-seq] |
| Description | The fork protection complex (FPC), composed of Mrc1, Tof1, and Csm3, supports rapid and stable DNA replication. Here, we show that FPC activity also introduces DNA damage by increasing DNA topological stress during replication. Mrc1 action increases DNA topological stress during plasmid replication, while Mrc1 or Tof1 activity causes replication stress and DNA damage within topologically constrained regions. We show that the recruitment of Top1 to the fork by Tof1 suppresses the DNA damage generated in these loci. While FPC activity introduces some DNA damage due to increased topological stress, the FPC is also necessary to prevent DNA damage in long replicons across the genome, indicating that the FPC is required for complete and faithful genome duplication. We conclude that FPC regulation must balance ensuring full genome duplication through rapid replication with minimizing the consequential DNA topological stress-induced DNA damage caused by rapid replication through constrained regions. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Publication: Keszthelyi A, Mansoubi S, Whale A, Houseley J et al. The fork protection complex generates DNA topological stress-induced DNA damage while ensuring full and faithful genome duplication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024 Dec 3;121(49):e2413631121. PMID: 39589889 |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE239966 |
| Title | Transcription-induced formation of extrachromosomal DNA during yeast ageing |
| Description | Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) facilitates adaptive evolution by allowing rapid and extensive gene copy number variation, and is implicated in the pathology of cancer and ageing. Here, we demonstrate that yeast aged under environmental copper accumulate high levels of eccDNA containing the copper resistance gene CUP1. Transcription of CUP1 causes CUP1 eccDNA accumulation, which occurs in the absence of phenotypic selection. We have developed a sensitive and quantitative eccDNA sequencing pipeline that reveals CUP1 eccDNA accumulation on copper exposure to be exquisitely site specific, with no other detectable changes across the eccDNA complement. eccDNA forms de novo from the CUP1 locus through processing of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by Sae2 / Mre11 and Mus81, and genome-wide analyses show that other protein coding eccDNA species in aged yeast share a similar biogenesis pathway. Although abundant we find that CUP1 eccDNA does not replicate efficiently, and high copy numbers in aged cells arise through frequent formation events combined with asymmetric DNA segregation. The transcriptional stimulation of CUP1 eccDNA formation shows that age-linked genetic change varies with transcription pattern, resulting in gene copy number profiles tailored by environment. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | PLoS Biol. 2019 Dec 3;17(12):e3000471. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000471. eCollection 2019 Dec. Transcription-induced formation of extrachromosomal DNA during yeast ageing Ryan M Hull 1 , Michelle King 1 , Grazia Pizza 1 , Felix Krueger 2 , Xabier Vergara 1 , Jonathan Houseley 1 PMID: 31794573 |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE135542 |
| Title | Transcriptome datasets of reproductive tissues in ageing females (GSE98901) |
| Description | RNA-seq datasets of trophoblast, endometrium and deciduae of mouse conceptuses developed in young versus aged females |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Significant changes imposed by maternal age on expression profiles of endoemtrial tissue and decidual development. Work shows the impact of the older female on reproductive success, unrelated to oocyte fitness. |
| Title | Transcriptomic analysis of bovine oocyte growth |
| Description | Transcriptomic (scRNA-seq) profiling datasets of bovine oocytes over follicular growth phase. Published in: 3. Latorraca, L. B., Galva~o, A., Rabaglino, M. B., D'Augero, J., Kelsey, G. and Fair, T. (2024) Single-cell profiling reveals transcriptome dynamics during bovine oocyte growth. BMC Genomics 25, 335. PMID: 38580918 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to say |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE249434 |
| Title | Transcriptomic analysis of ovarian cells in genetically obese mice |
| Description | Transcriptomic (RNA-seq) profiling datasets of ovarian granulosa cells from genetically obese ob/ob and db/db mice. From publication: Adamowski, M., Sharma, Y., Molcan, T., Wolodko, K., Kelsey, G. and Galvão, A. M. (2024) Leptin signalling regulates transcriptional differences in granulosa cells from genetically obese mice but not the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Scientific Reports 14, 8070. PMID: 38580672 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to say |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE236196 |
| Title | We submit every year hundreds to thousands of new database entries these are all linked to the publications associated with the grants |
| Description | please see above |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | please see above |
| Title | copper response in yeast |
| Description | Response of yeast to copper treatment by RNAseq and replication fork stalling |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | data re-use |
| URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE86283 |
| Description | Artios Pharma |
| Organisation | Artios Pharma Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have recruited a PhD student for a CASE award shared between JH lab and Artios Pharma. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supporting the student's research, providing reagents, supervision and advice, and a financial contribution to research costs and student stipend. |
| Impact | Lead directly to this publication doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000886 The technology developed contributed to further projects: doi: 10.1093/nar/gkab1257 and doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1382 |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Astra Zeneca for selumetinib paper |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Department | Research and Development AstraZeneca |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We performed the research in this project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This was started in collaboration with Astra Zeneca, in the end AZ provided intelletual input and advice. |
| Impact | We have published this wwork DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac032 |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Astra Zeneca for studentship |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Department | Research and Development AstraZeneca |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We are the host lab for an Astra Zeneca CTP student |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration on project and 3 month student hosting |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Birgitte Regenberg for eccDNA paper |
| Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This was a collaborative project to study the accumulation of circular DNA in ageing yeast cells. We provided the aged yeast cells and contributed to the interpretation of the data. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Regenberg lab performed circular DNA specific sequencing on the aged yeast samples, and generated a bioinformatic pipeline for accurately calling circular DNA from short read data. |
| Impact | Manuscript published "Replicative aging is associated with loss of genetic heterogeneity from extrachromosomal circular DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae" doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaa545 |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | CEGX |
| Organisation | Cambridge Epigenetix |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Data generated by CASE PhD student as preliminary/pilot data for target validation of epigenetic changes in disease. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Industrial CASE PhD studentship partner Cambridge Epigenetix (CEGX) provided help and advice in novel, proprietary technique and enabled student to perform this new method of epigenetic target validation during the placement period. |
| Impact | PhD studentship in progress. Manuscript(s) will be generated from this work, possibly even targets for follow-on work and potential commercialisation as epigenetic biomarkers. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Christian Wolfrum - transgenerational epigenetic inheritance |
| Organisation | ETH Zurich |
| Department | Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Carried out transcriptome and methylome analysis of transgenerational epigenetic models |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided transgenerational epigenetic mouse models of high fat diet and cold shock |
| Impact | Behavioural studies, nutrition, epigenetics, epigenomics, transcription |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Deciduoma |
| Organisation | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences |
| Department | Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Characterisation of reproductive defects in older females |
| Collaborator Contribution | Decidualisation model to assess the effect in the absence of an implanting embryo |
| Impact | Collaborative publication (PMID: 28874785) |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Development of computational methods for the quantification of biological variability |
| Organisation | EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL - EBI) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Development of an algorithm based on Bayesian statistics that quantifies variability in steady state levels of mRNA from nanofluidics-based PCR. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Development of an algorithm based on Bayesian statistics that quantifies variability in steady state levels of mRNA from nanofluidics-based PCR. |
| Impact | It is a multi-disciplinary collaboration involving high end PCR technology and statistical modelling. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Frank Speleman for TrAEL-seq |
| Organisation | Cancer Research Institute Ghent |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We performed and analysed TrAEL-seq on cell cultures treated with inhibitors targetting mutations frequently encountered in Neuroblastomas. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Frank's lab lead this project, which brought in multiple other specialists in a variety of fields |
| Impact | Our collaborative work has been published - doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1382 |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Progeria with Adrestia |
| Organisation | Adrestia Therapeutics Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Employing a PhD student through the Babraham Campus Training Partnership to study the influence of DNA replication stress on progerias. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Advisory so far, but will host student for part of project |
| Impact | Research not yet started |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Rakyan for mouse rDNA |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Department | Blizard Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Development of mouse rDNA CNV assay |
| Collaborator Contribution | Mouse models and project lead |
| Impact | None yet... |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Role of Np95 in epigenetic reprogramming |
| Organisation | RIKEN |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We are analysing the effects of Np95 deletion in zygotes and early embryos |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contribution of unpublished conditional knockout in the key epigenetic regulator Np95 |
| Impact | The first results have been obtained and look quite interesting |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Romain Barres |
| Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Single cell multi-omics |
| Collaborator Contribution | Human sperm from obese and control subjects |
| Impact | Several datasets. Multi-disciplinary between epigenetics, multi-omics, human cohorts. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | TrAEL-seq with Jon Baxter |
| Organisation | University of Sussex |
| Department | Genome Damage and Stability Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We performed TrAEL-seq analysis to understand the DNA replication impacts of mutants lacking the Fork Protection Complex |
| Collaborator Contribution | Main research for this project |
| Impact | https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.04.551986v1 |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | TrAEL-seq with Mathew Garnet |
| Organisation | The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Characterisation of DNA damage caused by WRN inhibitors in MSI cancer cells |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project lead and main research |
| Impact | A manuscript has been submitted on a WRN helicase inhibitor |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | TrAEL-seq with Phil Zegerman |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | TrAEL-seq analysis on DNA polymerase mutants discovered in Zegerman lab |
| Collaborator Contribution | Lead of project and research |
| Impact | manuscript in preparation |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Transcriptomic analysis of bovine oocytes during follicular growth |
| Organisation | University College Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Generation of single-cell RNA-seq datasets of isolated bovine oocytes; data analysis |
| Collaborator Contribution | Isolation of bovine oocytes from different stages in follicular growth; data analysis |
| Impact | Joint publication: Latorraca, L. B., Galva~o, A., Rabaglino, M. B., D'Augero, J., Kelsey, G. and Fair, T. (2024) Single-cell profiling reveals transcriptome dynamics during bovine oocyte growth. BMC Genomics 25, 335. PMID: 38580918 |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Uterine pathologies and maternal age |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Department | MRC Centre for Reproductive Health |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Molecular assessment of changes occurring in older females |
| Collaborator Contribution | Pathological characterisation and assessment of uterine pathologies that become more frequent with age |
| Impact | Collaboration established. Application for future funding in progress. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | eccDNA in antifungal resistance evolution |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We formed a collaborative team to address the potentail for extrachromosomal circular DNA to mediate antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens of humans and crops. We are applying for funding for this research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | So far, have advised on research proposal |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | eccDNA in antifungal resistance evolution |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | We formed a collaborative team to address the potentail for extrachromosomal circular DNA to mediate antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens of humans and crops. We are applying for funding for this research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | So far, have advised on research proposal |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | single cell TSCs |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration with Prof Steve Charnock Jones to form core of Centre of Trophoblast Research single cell transcriptomics profiles of mouse (and human) trophoblast stem cells under various conditions, as well as of placentas. Provided cells and tissues and culture media components to collaborator. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Set up Drop-seq and optimising technique for nuclear RNA sequencing, required for syncytia. Performed sc-RNA-seq. |
| Impact | Manuscript in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Title | Consortium agreement |
| Description | Consortium agreement between the Babraham Institute and the Max Delbrück Centre on LifeTime EU |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Protection not required |
| Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | The LifeTime consortium is now up and running as a Coordination and Support Action supported by the EU |
| Description | 15th International Curie Course on Epigenetics - Paris |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | 2019 Keystone Symposia on Single Cell Biology - Colorado |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | 3rd Revolutionizing Next-Generation Sequencing Conference - Belgium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Anna news article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | News article on the Institute website reporting on the research into cancer cell drug resistance in collaboration with AstraZeneca 'Exploiting vulnerabilities to maintain cancer drug effectiveness' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/news/2022/10/exploiting-vulnerabilities-maintain-cancer-drug-effectivenes... |
| Description | Article on JH lab research on WIRED website and in Quanta magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article on JH lab research following in-depth interview |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.wired.com/story/bacteria-may-rig-their-dna-to-speed-up-evolution/ |
| Description | Babraham Institute Schools Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | "At Schools' Day, students from schools all over Cambridgeshire and beyond gather at the Institute to discover more about our world-leading bioscience research. Led by Institute researchers, secondary and sixth-form students complete hands-on lab projects. Often using equipment not available within schools, Schools' Day aims to enthuse, inspire and motivate students and provide insight into what life is really like in the lab. Schools' Day is for students in Years 10-13. Typically, up to 5 students per school or sixth form may attend, although more places may be offered if capacity allows. There is active outreach done to promote the opportunity to schools and students from areas of high deprivation and an associated travel bursary to enable this targeted audience approach." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/blog/SchoolsDay-2023 |
| Description | Babraham Institute Schools' Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | At Schools' Day, students from schools all over Cambridgeshire and beyond gather at the Institute to discover more about our world-leading bioscience research. Led by Institute researchers, secondary and sixth-form students complete hands-on lab projects. Often using equipment not available within schools, Schools' Day aims to enthuse, inspire and motivate students and provide insight into what life is really like in the lab. Schools' Day is for students in Years 10-13. Typically, up to 5 students per school or sixth form may attend, although more places may be offered if capacity allows. There is active outreach done to promote the opportunity to schools and students from areas of high deprivation and an associated travel bursary to enable this targeted audience approach. This event has been running annually for 30 years and received local newspaper (Cambridge Independent) and regional TV news coverage this year (ITV Anglia) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/news/2024/03/30th-Institute-schools-day#:~:text=Today%2C%206th%20March%20... |
| Description | Babraham Schools day 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Experiments on epigenetics for local 6th form schools |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Babraham Schools' Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | At Schools' Day, students from schools all over Cambridgeshire and beyond gather at the Institute to discover more about our world-leading bioscience research. Led by Institute researchers, secondary and sixth-form students complete hands-on lab projects. Often using equipment not available within schools, Schools' Day aims to enthuse, inspire and motivate students and provide insight into what life is really like in the lab. Schools' Day is for students in Years 10-13. Typically, up to 5 students per school or sixth form may attend, although more places may be offered if capacity allows. There is active outreach done to promote the opportunity to schools and students from areas of high deprivation and an associated travel bursary to enable this targeted audience approach. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/blog/SchoolsDay-2023 |
| Description | Biology of Aging Gordon Research Conference - Maine, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Blog about imprinting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Blog titled 'An evolutionary battle of the sexes: The epigenetic phenomenon of genomic imprinting' giving an introduction to genomic imprinting, published on the Institute's website and shared on social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/blog/genomic-imprinting |
| Description | British Yeast Group meeting 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk to scientists in this and other areas focused on yeast research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://microbiologysociety.org/event/society-events-and-meetings/focused-meeting-2017-british-yeast... |
| Description | Cambridge Festival - Families Weekend |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Engaged genral public (primarily family groups) with epigenetic principles and research. Activities included a virtual reality experience exploring the genome and DNA folding, a colouring and activity worksheet aiming to introduce epigenetic concepts to younger audiences, and discussions about personal research focus and applications |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Cambridge Reproduction SRI, online workshop: "Interdisciplinary reflections on inheritance, development and environment" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | An online seminar that launched the research theme "Inheritance, Development and Environment" within the Cambridge Reproduction Strategic Research Initiative. Speakers from a range of departments across the University, encompassing molecular genetics, evolution theory and social science gave short presentations, followed by discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.repro.cam.ac.uk/events/interdisciplinary-reflections-inheritance-development-and-environ... |
| Description | Cambridge Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Babraham Institute exhibit on the Epigenetic Ageing Clock presented at the Cambridge Science Festival, involving activities and question/answer interactions with members of the public |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Cardiff Sixth Form Careers Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Online careers talk given to sixth form students. Covered careers in bioscience and personal career route as well as epigenetics broadly and specific research interests |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting: Stem Cell Biology, New York (USA) (VPG, CS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participation in confenrence, poster presentation by both post-doctoral reserachers involved in this activity (VPG and CS) and engagement in discussions and broadening of scientific horizon |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Comment to journal article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Wolf Reik spoke to journalist Kate Pasola about biological age and epigenetics as part of an article in Cosmopolitan titled 'I hacked my DNA in attempt to clear my acne - here's why I regret it'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/celebrity-hair-makeup/a35911493/dna-custom-skincare |
| Description | Commnet to journal article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Wolf Reik, Michelle Linterman and Simon Walker spoke to Andy Martin, The Independent, about their work for a long read article "Who wants to live forever?". The article explores the biological processes that cause ageing, the effect on our immune system, and 'transient reprogramming'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/long-reads/anti-ageing-stay-young-science-b1859541.... |
| Description | Distinguished Lecture Speaker - University of Pennsylvania |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EMBL Conference: Chromatin and Epigenetics - Heidelberg |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EMBL Mammalian Genetics and Genomics Conference (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at AMBL Conference Mammalian genetic and Genomic, Heidelberg, Germany |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | EU-Life meeting Principles of Homeostasis, Berlin (Germany) (VPG) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Participation and poster presentation at EU LIfe meeting "Principles of Homeostasis" held in Berlin, Germany (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Epigenetics Escape Room Camb Fest Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Online escape room style engagement resource. Developed by researchers with puzzles linking to real life research. Event was run as part of Cambridge Festival with public audiences taking part and learning more about the Insitute and our epigenetics research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://escape.babraham.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Epigenetics Escape Room Cambridge Science Festival event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Online escape room style engagement resource. Developed by researchers with puzzles linking to real life research. Event was run as part of Cambridge Science Festival with public audiences taking part and learning more about the Institute and our epigenetics research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://escape.babraham.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Epigenetics Escape Room Swavesay Village College |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Online escape room style engagement resource. Developed by researchers with puzzles linking to real life research. Event was run as a facilitated session with students taking part in activites whilst also including careers and mini research talks to allow two-way engagement with students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Featured in DNA circles article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Online article discussing DNA circles (extrachromosomal DNA) featuring Jon Houseley (possible based on a press release sharing related work in this area issued in 2019) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/oncology/curious-DNA-circles-make-treating/98/i40 |
| Description | Form the Future School Careers Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 180 sixth form aged students attended this event (hosted at St Bedes School, Cambridge) where staff discussed and answered questions about what a bioscience career is like as well as discussing research interests. Teachers reported that students had increased their knowledge of such careers and especially highlighted the breadth of different roles the event highlighted to them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | GENIE network of C elegans researchers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Joining this pan european network has allowed us to attend conferences, network with other C elegans labs across Europe and obtaining funding to organise a workshop on C elegans metabolic reconstruction. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017,2018 |
| Description | GENiE workshop "Extending the consensus representation of C. elegans metabolism" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | https://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/genie-workshop-2017/program/index.html |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/genie-workshop-2017/program/index.html |
| Description | Genetics Society and BSDB Spring Meeting, Warwick, UK (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at annual spring meeting of the Genetics Society and British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) in Warwick, UK (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Genetics Society annual autumn meeting - poster presentation RS |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of a poster with the newest data on this work. Meeting held in London, UK (2017). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Genome editing workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop about Crispr genome editing at the Cambridge Science Festival |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | I'm a scientist |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Took part in online discussion forum events where students ask questions around careers in bioscience and research interests. Discussed career route, academic research landscape and epigenetic research. Was voted by students to win the 'zone'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | IFPA Meeting, Manchester, UK (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at IFPA Meeting held in Manchester, UK (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | IMP Research Institute of Molecular Pathology - Vienna |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | INvited seminar at University of Copenhagen (Ecology and Evolution) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar to University department in Copenhagen. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ISSHP Meeting, Berlin, Germany (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at ISSHP Meeting held in Berlin, Germany (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Invited Seminar at Artios Pharma |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Invited seminar at CRUK Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar at CRUK Manchester. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Invited seminar at Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar to University department in Lyon |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Invited speaker at SciLifeLab, Stockholm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited lecture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited speaker invitation - Grand Rapids, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited talk at Cambridge Innovation Forum - "Challenging Ageing" event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | One of 4 invited speakers at the Cambridge Innovation Forum - "Challenging Ageing" event. Involved a talk and then a panel discussion with audience Q&A on ageing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://cambridge.inno-forum.org/event/challenging-ageing/ |
| Description | Invited talk at Stem Cells UK meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited lecture to Stem Cells UK meeting. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | KH - meet a bioscientist |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Virtual research and career talk with extended Q&A |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/blog/meet-a-bioscientist-2022 |
| Description | Keynote speaker, CTR Anniversary Meeting, Cambridge, UK (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Keynote lecture at 10th Anniversary Meeting of the Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Life2019 Conference - Netherlands |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Media comment on research related to ageing and rejuvenation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Contribution of a comment on research reprogramming cells from an 114 year old individual in Newsweek article: Scientists Have Reset Cells From a Supercentenarian, Giving Clues to Their Extreme Longevity, |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.newsweek.com/supercentenarian-cells-reset-aging-longevity-1494497 |
| Description | Meeting organiser, Reproduction and Development, Cambridge 2018 (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Co-organisation of meeting, Reproduction and Development, held in Cambridge, UK (2018). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Organisation of C.elegans Cambridge local area meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An audience of about 10-15 science labs from around the Cambridge area attend these events, including many PhD students and postdocs. The aim of these meetings is dissemination of techniques and science as well as networking. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2017,2018 |
| Description | Panel discussion for NCCPE Engage Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was a panel member for the session: "Public dialogues: A valuable tool for Higher Education Institutes?" at the NCCPE Engage Conference 2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://babraham.ac.uk/blog/2021/01/public-dialogue-spur-genome-editing-engagement |
| Description | Partcipation in The Future of Ageing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A representative of the Casanueva lab attended a debate on the future of gein at London School of Economics geared towards general public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Podcast with Dr Kat Arney on the impact of placentation and maternal age on reproductive outcome |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Podcast as descibed above |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Postgraduate course Epigenetics in Reproductive Biology, University of Murcia, Spain (VPG) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk and workshop participation as part of postgraduate course on reproductive epigenetics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
| Description | Press article on JH lab research in Quanta and WIRED |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed about the research in my lab, particularly the work in PLOS Biology (PMID 28654659), and this was written up into an article for Quanta magazine. This was then picked up and re-distributed to a much wider audience by WIRED. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.wired.com/story/bacteria-may-rig-their-dna-to-speed-up-evolution/ |
| Description | Protein Challenge |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Students are given the opportiunity to become immersed in a hands-on research project where they carry out practical experiments involving protein assaying. They then produce a scientific poster based on their results and present these. The porgramme takes place over a number of sessions with support for the students to develop their wider research skills and understanding of research ethics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Radio interview DeutschlandFunk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Radio Interview for DeutschlandFunk on the impact of maternal age on pregnancy success, irrespective of the increased risk of defects in the egg |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/alter-des-uterus-entscheidend-junges-glueck-in-jungen.676.de.html?dram... |
| Description | Research Access Programme student placement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Higher education student carried out 8 week lab based summer placement learning a variety of techniques and data analysis methods. They reported an increase in knowledge, skills, and a broadening of their understanding of careers in science as well as how academic research functions. This programme is run in partnership with the In2Research programme and is only open to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It aims to increase equitable access to our research and porgrammes for all audiences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/research-access-programme |
| Description | Royal Society Summer Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Babraham Institute exhibit on the Epigenetic Ageing Clock as invited entry presented at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition, involving activities and question/answer interactions with members of the public, fellows of the Royal Society, policymakers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Savile Club epigenetics talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation about epigenetics at the London Savile Club |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Scientist Stories |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Video interview with Gavin Kelsey who speaks about his career and research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjU_gvNDZI8&t=1s |
| Description | Sophianum School collaboration - Technasium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The Babraham Institute is continuing to coordinate activities supporting its commitment as a signatory of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research. Institute staff, including animal unit managers, have been working closely with a school in the Netherlands to prepare and launch the Institute's contribution to the national 'Technasium' education programme, which aims to draw together students and industry. Two projects, developed in collaboration with the Institute's Public Engagement team and teachers from the Sophianum School in Gulpen, will challenge students to research and design systems to improve the efficiency and safety of animal care systems. A third project will require the students to research how legislation regulating the use of animals in science, as well as public opinion, can vary throughout Europe and the world. A two-day visit on 19th & 20th May will kick-start a 10-week programme for the 15-year old students, who will work in teams and compete to design the best solutions to the challenges. The Institute's animal technicians will monitor student progress by commenting on YouTube videos posted fortnightly by the teams. Regular video calls into the animal unit and the Institute's laboratories will allow live discussion between the students, the animal technicians and the scientists who use animals as part of their research. The challenge projects will finish in July, with the winning Sophianum team coming to the Babraham Institute as part of their prize. The students will visit Institute animal facilities and will get a chance to see the award-winning camera system which displays live feeds from the facility - allowing groups to appreciate first-hand both the animal care environment and the nature of working within an animal research unit. This pilot project will also involve sixth-form students at the school who will learn about the Institute's research and take part in workshops to discuss the ethics of the use of animals in science. The Institute has been running ethics workshops for secondary and sixth form students since 2005, with contributions from Understanding Animal Research, the European Animal Research Association and the Institute of Animal Technology. The success of the Technasium project will be evaluated by both the Institute and Sophianum School, with a view to developing future challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | Sophianum poster workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A scientific poster workshop for the Sophianum school in the Netherlands |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Sophianum sixth form project judging |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Sixth form students wrote scientific projects which were then judged |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Sophianum visit to BI |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | School visit by dutch school classes |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | St Catharines Society Visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A presentation and discussion at the St Catherine's society |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Summer placement student |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Higher education student carried out 8 week lab based summer placement learning a variety of techniques and data analysis methods. They reported an increase in knowledge, skills, and a broadening of their understanding of careers in science as well as how academic research functions. This programme is run in partnership with the In2Research programme and is only open to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It aims to increase equitable access to our research and porgrammes for all audiences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.babraham.ac.uk/research-access-programme |
| Description | Talk at 2021 Sino-British Young Leaders Innovation Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The forum was attended by 50 participants and featured 9 talks from academic scholars and business experts from both China and UK. It was followed by discussions on open science, measures to publicise existing collaborations between the two countries and identify areas of complementarity, importance of cooperation on science and technology in the post-pandemic era and funding opportunities for young scientists in both countries to aid collaborative research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Talk at British Yeast Group by Lab member Ryan Hull |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation at the British Yeast Group meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at CNRS meeting "Genome instability: when RNA meets chromatin" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at conference "Genome instability: when RNA meets chromatin" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.insb.cnrs.fr/fr/genome-instability-when-rna-meets-chromatin |
| Description | Talk at Cambourne Library |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 15 general audience attended an Epigenetics presentation and discussion |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at DNA Replication as a Source of DNA Damage Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk to other members of research community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.fusion-conferences.com/conference67.php |
| Description | Talk at EMBO Evolution and Ecology meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk and poster presentation at EMBO meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.embl.de/training/events/2018/EAE18-01/ |
| Description | Talk at EpiChrom 2019 by lab member Ryan Hull |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at EpiChrom 2019 meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.scilifelab.se/epichrom-2019/ |
| Description | The Ageing Cell Conference, Cambridge, UK (MH) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at The Ageing Cell Conference held in Cambridge, UK (2017) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | UKRI launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | UKRI launch event 2018 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Undergraduate Work Placement Programme 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Undergraduate students completed a 4 week online work experience placement in our laboratories with a programme of talks about life as a researcher and careers in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Weert College ethics workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This was a scientific ethics workshop for a school in the Netherlands |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Weert College presentation judging |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Students were making scientific presentations which were then judged |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Wellcome Trust Workshop on NEURONAL MATURATION: London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Whittlewomen |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to local women's group |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Women's Institute visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Visit by members of the Women's Institute for a discussion and workshop on Epigenetics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |