Oxford High pupils begin work on Genome Decoders Project

Over 80 enthusiastic Year 11-13 biology students from Oxford High School have signed up with staff to work for a year on a collaborative bioinformatics research programme, the Genome Decoders Project.

It aims to identify all the genes in the DNA of the human whipworm, which is a tropical parasite responsible for the neglected widespread chronic disease Trichuriasis.

Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute at Hinxton near Cambridge, and the EMBL (European Bioinformatics Institute) developed the collaboration with IRIS, the Institute for Research in Schools as an exceptional opportunity for interested schools to engage directly with this globally important scientific work.

Dr Paul Weeks, Head of Biology at Oxford High School and school co-ordinator of the Whipworm Project said:

“This is an incredibly exciting example of how real-world science should happen in schools, and is the first time ever that school students have been able to help curate an entire genome. Oxford High School students make up over 10% of the whole UK student involvement, which is tremendous.”

“They are brimming with enthusiasm, and eager to learn cutting-edge bioinformatics skills which may ultimately contribute to the development of vaccines or improved treatments for this appalling disease.”

“Genomics is now an important part of modern Biology, and so this collaboration will also support and reinforce their learning in the classroom”