Dr Susanne Bornelöv receives Wellcome Career Development Award

Dr Susanne Bornelöv from the Hannon Group has been awarded a prestigious £2.3 million Wellcome Career Development grant to lead a novel research programme using computational and genomics methods to explore the regulation of gene expression.

Genes contain instructions for making proteins or other molecules that are essential for the growth, development, and normal functioning of cells. The ability to regulate gene expression allows cells to adjust their protein production to changing conditions, ensuring that they can adapt and survive in different environments.

An important stage of gene regulation is at the translational level, where the genetic code in messenger RNA (mRNA) is translated into proteins. During translation, the mRNA’s code is read in triplets called codons, such as AGG or CGU.

It is now believed that these codons are able to do much more than help translate genetic information into proteins. Different codon sequences can affect the stability of mRNA or influence how proteins fold into their functional form.

Genetic mutations previously thought to be unimportant instead have the potential to regulate gene expression by making the mRNAs less stable so they cannot be translated into protein.

The Wellcome Career Development Award is a highly competitive funding program that supports scientists with the potential to become international research leaders. The award supports researchers to develop their scientific capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing.

Over the course of eight years, Dr Bornelöv and her team will use advanced computational and genomics methods, including AI and machine learning techniques, to analyse data and explore the complex relationship between codon sequences and gene regulation. She will also study fruit flies to understand the broader role of codon usage throughout evolution.

The award will provide support for two Postdoctoral Research Associates and a Research Assistant, who will work alongside Dr Bornelöv to uncover new insights into gene regulation and genome organisation.

The research programme is set to launch in September 2023. For enquiries about the projects or the upcoming research positions, please contact Dr Bornelöv.