Cambridgeshire lab creates learning resource to encourage more students to study genomics in wake of Covid-19 pandemic

A leading Cambridgeshire laboratory has created teaching courses and lectures to help school students understand the genetics behind Covid-19.

The Wellcome Sanger Institute is one of the country's leading sites for genomics research, playing a key role in tracking the development of coronavirus variants.

It has created teaching resources - such as worksheets and information handouts - to help students of all ages understand the study of genetics.

For older students the Institute runs online lectures with scientific experts, which it says are to help "encourage the next generation of young minds to pursue a career in science".

The latest series, which will run through March, will look at "human genetic variation".

In a statement, the Institute said: "[This] is incredibly relevant to the current pandemic and vaccine rollout. For example, it includes information on research into different people’s susceptibility to disease, depending on their genetics."

The talks are aimed at 14-18 year olds and will cover career pathways for young people looking to work in genetics.

They can be accessed via the Genomics Lite website.