Lived experience of disability, health and illness, is particularly pertinent when considering genomic research and its applications in diagnosing and treating specific diseases.

In November, we held a workshop with the NIHR BioResource and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, to bring IBD patients and researchers together, and create an open conversation on how to return additional findings in genomics research.

For Wellcome Connecting Science, the pandemic was the springboard for the COG-Train project, a pioneering initiative for building global capacity in genomics, in partnership with the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium.

Over the past year, we have focussed on providing a wide range of free opportunities for school students and young people to interact with industry professionals and learn about careers in genomics.

The origins of Hinxton Hall, our Conference Centre, its foundation and ownership, have been mostly unknown to us, until last year, when we commissioned Historian, Melanie Backe-Hansen, to fill in the numerous gaps.

At Connecting Science we aim to ensure that our professional-facing activities acknowledge structural inequality in the UK, and actively include and promote the participation of both current, and the next generation, of under-represented healthcare and research professionals.

Our interactive, free course, Genomics, Science and Data Careers, aimed to help young people experience the diverse range of career options in these fields.

Take a look back at some of our recent projects and activities, and their global impact, in our newly published Annual Review.

We are delighted to announce that our Director, Professor Julian Rayner, has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in the UK.

The jurors voted that the UK government should consider changing the law, albeit with strong recommendations on how the process should be handled.

Exploring participation at conferences, and how we enhance our own learning and training offer.

Dr Michelle Bishop, Associate Director, Learning and Training, shares details about role developments within her leadership team.

A jury of 24 people with lived experience of genetic conditions will form a Citizens’ Jury hosted on the Wellcome Genome Campus.

Our Director, Professor Julian Rayner, has been elected to membership of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

Two film projects explore the work and impact of genetic counsellors.

The accuracy of science in movies can be a contentious topic. But can we use as movies to make complex science relatable for students and the public?

A recent national committment to increased public involvement coincides with a step change in our own efforts to enable the public to contribute to genomics research.

The global pandemic forced some drastic changes to our training offer: this is how we tackled the transition to virtual and what happened next.

How our new research project exploring the ethical challenges of data-driven medicine had to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

We’ve launched our new annual review, download it here.

Media release: Being able to receive results is a key motivator that influences participation in research, according to public audiences from the USA, but is less important elsewhere in the world.

Are you interested in how we understand public perspectives on genomics? The intersection of ethics, policy, and genomics?

The Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science and the Public will explore ethical implications of scientific discovery and its impact on society.

What do you know about Hinxton Hall?

Our Society and Ethics Research team has been analysing public perceptions of genomic and health data, and its users

Wellcome Connecting Science Public Engagement team have put together story highlights from projects throughout the year.

The fundamentals of genomics are becoming increasingly more relevant to society, however, it seems society could not be more disengaged.

We welcome the recommendations in a new report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee

We are delighted to have been jointly awarded a Wellcome-FCDO Joint Initiative on Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response grant of nearly £1 million.

An update on our new brand.

I:DNA became the creative vehicle to reach new audiences with the profound stories taken from the Imagine Futures study.

Members of Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement have joined the EUSEA board and the ECSITE Spokes Editorial Committee.

Recognising outstanding efforts in engaging public or school audiences with Wellcome Genome Campus’ science, research and innovation.

The Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement team supports public engagement elements of large-scale research projects at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, as Development Coordinator Alena Pance explains.

New findings on public trust from the Society and Ethics Research group

Designer babies, mutant mozzies and frankenfoods: these are the images that often spring to mind when people think of genome editing.

The Society and Ethics Research team are part of a new global project

Four early-career scientists and researchers from the Wellcome Genome Campus introduce themselves ahead of their talk 'Genomic Futures' on 27 August.

Introducing Charlie, the Ghanaian star in the latest the Your DNA, Your Say survey, gathering the views of people around the world on online health data and how it might be used by others.

New home learning packs provide science education support for parents and teachers during the school closures and keep curious minds engaged over the holiday period.

First talk: ‘Reading the book of life: What has genome sequencing ever done for us?’ with Sanger Institute Director Mike Stratton on 30th July.

Alena Pance from our Public Engagement team introduces the Human Cell Atlas and a new animation explaining the SARS-CoV-2 infection process.

The new Genomics Oxford Biology Primer aims to bridge the gap between A-levels and undergraduate study.

Music is a language that transcends many cultures, age groups, and cognitive abilities, making it a powerful tool to remove some of the opaqueness and ambiguity that often surrounds the topic of genomic medicine.

It is likely that some of us have already had a form of genomic test already, maybe as part of a routine or in-depth health check, for research purposes or even as part of an online ancestry test.

Lucy Steggals to work with Wellcome Sanger Institute researchers, patient collaborators, and members of the public to develop our up-coming exhibition.

In response to the rapidly changing COVID-19 pandemic, the Wellcome Genome Campus will close all but essential functions from Friday 20 March.

If you thought you were at risk of developing a condition would you want to know? Would you want your children to know? For some families this is much more than a philosophical dilemma – it is their life.

These awards reward those who actively embrace the Wellcome Genome Campus’ mission to support the development of the careers of women and under-represented groups.

People with rare diseases and their families with rare diseases are one of the largest groups of patients and research participants for whom genome sequencing can have immediate clinical implications. Understanding their experiences is crucial to maximise the benefits of genomic research.

We are gathering memories of Hinxton Hall and need your help!

LifeLab 2019 reached 3,500 adults and children in Cambridgeshire as part of European Researchers Night in September.

Interpreting a genomic test result; creating datasets for analysis of diverse populations; and drug development, all require us to share our data. But how willing as a society are we to this? And who do we trust to share it with?                               

This October, all four scientific conferences organised by Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences have public talks as part of their programme.

The special issue of this journal is guest edited by Anna Middleton, Barbara Biesecker and Christine Patch.

An exciting programme of free events and activities for the Cambridgeshire region on 27/28 September.

The principle of informed consent has long been a central element of research ethics, aimed at protecting individuals’ autonomy and right to self-determination, and preventing deception and coercion.

Public Engagement gets Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Fund grant to help end unconscious bias and stereotype threat in the primary school STEM classrooms.

Dr Jonathan Roberts discusses how genetic counselling may develop in the new age of genomic medicine.

The review includes twelve excellent articles written by Connecting Science staff.

Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences announces the launch of its first online course in Genetic Counselling in partnership with FutureLearn.

New Public Dialogue Highlights Hopes and Concerns for Genomic Medicine in the UK

From 1st May 2019, the Director of Connecting Science, Julian Rayner, will be embarking on an exciting new challenge, as Director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR), part of the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine.

We are delighted to announce that we are part of EDIS.

DNA is central to our existence as a species, and yet it is a double-edged sword when it comes to questions of moral choice, emotional impact, and data ownership.

People living with genetic conditions can offer unique insights into what life with genetic disease is really like, in a way that medical descriptions of the conditions cannot. However, their perspectives have, for the most part, been under-represented in discussions of the social and ethical implications of sequencing technologies.

Fran Gale gives us an insight into her work, the many projects she's involved in, and the aim of the schools programme.

We discuss the recommendations of the Topol Review in relation to genomics.

St Dominic's Grammar School, Belfast, visits Campus after winning 25 Genomes Schools Competition.

The films aim to facilitate discussion around issues that are at the centre of a case that may lead to a legal change in the patient-doctor relationships of the future.

The implanting of an edited embryo with the deliberate intent to lead to a pregnancy, is currently illegal in many countries. A change in the law is not going to happen any time soon [...] but the problem is that the consensus doesn’t exist yet, although the announcement is uniting the scientific community in opposition and disbelief.

The Engage Watermark recognises strategic support for public engagement across the organisation, as well as the commitment to develop plans for the future.

September saw one of the world's largest science events come to Cambridge and Peterborough.

Society and Ethics Research Team Manager, Lauren Farley, discusses her short film about the 'Your DNA Your Say' survey and its translations.

LifeLab has launched an exciting programme of events for 28-29 September, to transform parts of Cambridge and Peterborough into centres of discovery and opportunity for the weekend.

A new exhibition exploring the Wellcome Sanger Institute's 25 Genomes project.

Society and Ethics Research calls for a people-powered consultation, a conversation focusing on how science and humanity collaborate and win, together, when it comes to DNA data sharing.

The Music of Life project comprises six short, musical films created for any health professional who needs to communicate genomic information to patients.

Scientific Programme Manager, Dr Treasa Creavin, shares her perspective on developing and applying a gender balance policy for Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences.

Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement and Wellcome Sanger Institute are part of the Cambridge LIFE LAB project that has won a place in Europe's largest public science event: European Researchers' Night.

This new annual prize scheme coordinated by our Public Engagement team recognises outstanding efforts by Campus staff in engaging public or schools audiences with their work.

Free online course - Bacterial Genomes: From DNA to protein function using bioinformatics - starts 11 June.

The Connecting Science Annual Review 2017-2018, published in May 2018, showcases some of our highlights from the past year, picking out key projects and achievements from across our teams.

This 3-week introduction to pathogen genomics, will be the first online course offered by wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences and is open to anyone to join.

The Worm Hunters project is an integrated whipworm egg collection and schools engagement programme in Colombia. One key engagement element was a comic book written for local school children.

The ambitious HORIZON 2020 NUCLEUS project has been further strengthened by the joining of the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridge, UK as the 25th member of the consortium.

Becky Gilmore, curator of Genomic Expressions, talks about the most personal Wellcome Genome Campus exhibition to date.

Dr Alice Matimba shares her passion for developing and delivering courses on biomedical and genomic sciences in low- and middle-income countries.

Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement relaunches Café Sci in Cambridge this February

Understanding pathogen genomes, how they evolve and which genes are essential for their ability to cause disease, is a key part of the battle to reduce the global disease burden. But capacity for research and skills for genome data analysis are limited in most low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and South America and the Caribbean.

200 geneticists, palaeontologists, archaeologists, and primatologists, gathered at the Wellcome Genome Campus in November to celebrate the ancient DNA field.

World-renowned choreographer, Wayne McGregor, has been working with Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement and scientists from the Wellcome Genome Campus to prepare for his new work, Autobiography, which premiered at Sadler’s Wells in London on 4th October.

Connecting Science's Anna Middleton gives us her perspective on the meeting.

Our Public Engagement team headed north to get stuck into Orkney International Science Festival 2017

The first large-scale schools genome decoding project launched on 28 September 2017 by the Institute for Research in Schools and the Wellcome Genome Campus.

150 international scientists and clinicians gathered to discuss the latest research on the microbiome at the 6th Exploring Human Host-Microbiome Interactions in Health and Disease conference.

The latest iteration of the popular 'Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology in Africa' laboratory course provided training for scientists and clinicians from across Africa.

Public Engagement is helping to scope out approaches and challenges in public engagement with genome editing.

An international group of 11 organisations with clinical genetics expertise has issued a policy statement on germline genome editing in humans.

Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences are piloting seed funding year-long research projects in Latin America and the Caribbean

Our first annual review is now available to download.

Press release: We have launched a new initiative aimed at event organisers, offering a comprehensive range of event management services.

Combining archaeology with cutting-edge genomics research, Hidden Lives unearths the secrets of some very early South Cambridgeshire residents.

The Malaria Experimental Genetics course was established in 2011 and has proved popular with malaria researchers from all over the world.

On the latest course sixteen enthusiastic participants learnt about this essential tool for genome and genetic analysis of human and infectious disease.

Are the views of patients and the public relevant to determining what is in the public interest? If so, what are those views? Maybe it’s time we asked.

Read about the how and whys of the ‘Counselling skills for genomics’ module, part of the new Mst in Genomic Medicine at the University of Cambridge.

Guest blog by Dr Vicky Chico, Legal Consultant, Society and Ethics Research Group, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge

The first G2NA retreat identified how to get genomics integrated into practice, policy, professional development, and nursing curricula worldwide.

View events hosted by Connecting Science's Public Engagement and Society and Ethics Research teams at the Cambridge Science Festival 2017

The Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre has launched its striking new website, giving visitors a real feel for the venue.

Dr Julian Rayner reflects on the impact of genomic research and combining malaria research with leading a learning and engagement programme.

The Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences (ACSC) programme has a long history of creating and organising innovative learning events for a global audience.

Yourgenome is devoted to sharing the fascinating, fast-paced, and sometimes daunting world of DNA, genes, and genomes with the public.

We listen and learn as well as share and inform.

This autumn shorts films produced by Wellcome Genome Campus Society and Ethics Research are being shown in festivals in Europe and the USA.

We are passionate about ensuring everything we do, from experience to environment, is of the highest possible quality.

Renowned artists Thomson & Craighead display their artwork exploring the human genome, Stutterer, at the UK home of the Human Genome Project.

Twenty students on an Overseas Course in Argentina not only developed their skills in pathogen surveillance but have also produced the programme’s first research paper!

Listening to patient experiences of genome sequencing.

In September 2016, Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences welcomed scientists from across the world to their Single Cell Genomics conference at the Wellcome Genome Campus.

What are your thoughts on sharing your DNA data with others?

Your DNA Your Say is an ambitious, global research project in the form of a ‘film-survey’ experience gathering the views of people around the world on online health data and how it might be used by others.

Guest blog from Jon Roberts, doctoral student from Kings College London and Wellcome Genome Campus.

Silent Signal is an ambitious group exhibition exploring new ways of thinking about the human body.

Guest blog post from Jon Roberts, genetic counsellor and PhD student at KCL and Wellcome Genome Campus. Jon is exploring how popular films and books reach the public and contribute to understanding and communication about genetics.

A video overview of what we did in the Socialising the Genome project.

The Society and Ethics Research team has launched a project called Socialising the Genome to explore how to turn genomics from an anti-social concept to a more social one.

History and impact of malaria parasite inspire immersive audiovisual installation.

The study starts an important and on-going conversation about how our genomic data is used.

We need to continue to ask people, in a multitude of ways, how they want to engage with the issues highlighted.

Engaging with the public, health professionals and scientists about how genetics is likely to shape healthcare and asking everyone to play a part in these major decisions is incredibly important. As research develops and the capabilities of genomic sequencing increase, we will need to continue this conversation.

Wellcome Trust supported 'I'm a Scientist': public engagement activity with school kids.

In the near future, with the impetus from Genomics England, whole-genome sequencing will become part of clinical practice in the NHS.

Your DNA contains information about your past, present and future: From medical health, such as predispositions to diabetes, to your ancestry.

We asked Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer to the British government for some feedback on our research.

Family have exome sequencing to determine son's diagnosis.

Maybe, genetic knowledge is indeed power.

Channel 4 news ran a newspiece in 2014 on our research all about what people want to know from their genes

Would you want to know if you are research subject?  Is it enough that your spare bits are donated willingly, and for the good of science? Or would you like to know what sorts of projects your bits will kindly participate in before given the opportunity to consent or decline?