Sequencing the Code of Life at Science on the Hill

We learnt all about Gene Sequencing at the most recent Science on the Hill!

We learnt that sequencing DNA is all about determining the order of the four chemical building blocks - called "bases" - that make up the DNA molecule. Sequencing can then tell us about what genetic information is carried in a particular DNA segment.

Dr Laura Baxter began the night by introducing us to the history of sequencing in ‘The Sequencing Revolution’. Professor Robin Allaby took us further back in time in his talk ‘Reconstructing the Past Using Environmental DNA Through the Ages’. Our final discussion was by Professor Sascha Ott, who explored the ‘Emerging Frontiers of Sequencing’. Through this selection of introductory talks, we learnt about the radical impact sequencing is having on science, health care, and our understanding of life.

As well as listening to three insightful talks, we had the chance to get up close to some live gene sequencing with Oxford Nanopore. We tried our hand at matching base codes in a fun, interactive game. Plus, we had the chance to mingle with researchers and hear about how gene sequencing impacts a whole variety of research!