Genome Research Limited
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Genome Research Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements For year ended 30 September 2020 Introduction 5 Chief Executive’s introduction 6 Timeline of highlights 2 Introduction Trustees’ Report Financial Statements 8 Trustees’ Report 8 Objectives and activities 9 Strategic report 9 Achievements and performance 14 Section 172 statement 16 Financial Review 19 Plans for future periods 20 Principal risks and uncertainties 20 Structure, governance and management 23 Employee engagement statement 25 Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 26 Independent Auditor’s report Financial Statements 28 Statement of Financial Activities 29 Balance Sheet 30 Notes to the Financial Statements 47 Reference and Administrative Information Genome Research Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements for Year Ended 30 September 2020 3 4 Genome Research Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements for Year Ended 30 September 2020 Introduction Trustees’ Report Financial Statements Chief Executive’s Introduction Genome Research Limited (“GRL”) The coronavirus pandemic continues to have encompasses a number of activities a profound impact on our ability to deliver undertaken by our operation at the Wellcome genomic science. The Wellcome Sanger Genome Campus. All of these activities work Institute and Connecting Science closed in in the fields of Genomes and Biodata and March 2020 to all but essential work. are very much interlinked. The three pillars of Research programmes and projects have activity are research, discourse, and slowed or paused, the quinquennial review enterprise and innovation which are site visit scheduled for June 2020 has been delivered by the Wellcome Sanger Institute postponed, and all training and engagement (“Sanger Institute”) and Connecting Science activities have become virtual. based at the Wellcome Genome Campus. Alongside these considerable challenges the As the former UK Chief Medical Officer Institute has committed £6.3 million of outlined in her report Health, our global asset funding to sequence 180,000 SARS-CoV-2 – partnering for progress we live in a global samples over the next year as its village where the health issues of one contribution to the COG-UK Consortium. country swiftly impact another. In this world, Over 200 staff volunteered to contribute to genomics – powered by open-access data this initiative, a real world demonstration of sharing - is central to delivering the rapid, the value of the UK science base, the insightful information needed for effective Sanger Institute scientific infrastructure and healthcare delivery and to shape successful the value of genomics to aid decision making therapies. and policy development. As evidenced by the outbreak of the COVID- The Campus has been converted into a 19 coronavirus, seamless and open sharing ‘COVID secure’ workplace, our genome of genomic data is powering the worldwide sequencing platforms are close to full race to develop vaccines and guide capacity once again, and we hope that other international public health responses. Here data generation platforms will follow shortly. at the Institute, this openness has always Science and collaboration will be the solution been part of our culture. We analyse malaria to this pandemic and at GRL we will play our parasite genomes from both neighbouring part. countries and continents to track the emergence and spread of drug resistance, guiding public health strategies. By successfully pooling datasets on cancer samples, databases and analysis across continents we are revealing the causes and potential treatments for tumours, driving the development of precision, personalised Professor Sir Mike Stratton, medicine. Director, Wellcome Sanger Institute Chief Executive, Wellcome Genome Over the last year the Wellcome Sanger Institute had some major successes, a Campus collaborative award from Wellcome to deliver the first phase of the UK wide Darwin Tree of Life Project, funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to deliver malaria surveillance at actionable scale, and a raft of documents were submitted to Wellcome in December 2019 to support our 5-year (2021- 2026) funding request. Genome Research Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements for Year Ended 30 September 2020 5 Sanger Institute joins COG-UK Red and grey consortium to Resurrected squirrel Cancer sequence ancient gene genomes Dependency Map COVID-19 virus explains malaria’s sequenced for uses CRISPR to spread jump from first time narrow drug gorillas to target list humans Gosia Trynka Jeremy Farrar becomes Open New malaria becomes Targets’ drug targets Head of Experimental identified in Genome Director liver stage of Research life cycle Limited Board Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar First cell map Mouse models Cancer map for shows how the reveal 140+ uncharted 99% liver develops genes linked to of genome immune system made by Global control Pan-Cancer Colon crypts and Project lasers reveal Root of pathway to childhood Gut cell atlas cancer kidney cancer maps how discovered bacteria and immune cells Darwin Tree of interact Life project Never too late to quit – launches ex-smokers’ lungs repair genetic damage Wellcome Genome Campus temporarily closes, critical research continues 6 Introduction Trustees’ Report Financial Statements Genomic surveillance of antibiotic resistance established in the Sanger researchers Philippines join UK Consortium to unlock immune system’s role in Key nose cells COVID-19 identified as Sanger likely COVID- Innovations Sixth form collaboration 19 virus entry Team launches student to explore points BIODATA genomics text marine and interactive talks book published freshwater ecosystems 6 Sanger researchers Secondary and Public trust on recognised by primary school data vital for Academy of digital home genomic Medical Sciences learning packs research released Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Microbiotica Seeds of uterine collaborates on Mentoring cancer sown landmark cancer podcast supports early in life microbiome early career studies researchers Cell atlas Sanger extends maps the postdoctoral human heart First cell atlas funding to cover DECIPHER of mosquito COVID-19 opens up immune cells lockdown whole genome for rare disease diagnoses Bulk of genetic Pharma-Academia variation collaboration responsible for brings personalised blood cell health medicine closer revealed Genome Research Limited awarded Athena SWAN Silver Genome Research Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements for Year Ended 30 September 2020 7 Trustees’ Report The Directors of Genome Research Limited (“the Charitable Company” ) who are also the Trustees of Genome Research Limited for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011, present their Annual Report (including the Directors’ Report and Strategic Report) and audited Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2020. Objectives and activities Genome Research Limited’s (“GRL”) objectives are: Advance understanding of biology using genome sequences and biodata. Apply genome science for human sequences to increase understanding of pathogen evolution, the phenotypic health and other societal benefits. human and pathogen biology in order to consequences of genome variation improve human health. and the processes which cause Foster discussion of the scientific, mutations. We will generate deeper medical and wider implications of To achieve this goal, we conduct basic understanding of the genetic causes, genomes. and translational research delivered pathogenesis and epidemiology of across five research programmes and human disease, of human Vision two associate research programmes: development and ageing and of Motivated by the remarkable Cancer, Ageing and Somatic Mutation human gene function. We aim to challenges and opportunities identify therapeutic and vaccine presented to 21st century science by Cellular Genetics targets and to explore the genomic genome sequences, the ambition of changes influencing sensitivity and GRL over the next two decades is to Human Genetics resistance to such agents. strengthen its well-established The Sanger Institute sits at the centre scientific foundations and to build on Parasites and Microbes of a global network of science, them, such that the Wellcome Tree of Life engaging proactively with Genome Campus becomes an researchers external to the Institute, international centre for scientific, Health Data Research UK (Associate enabling and empowering their business, cultural and educational Research Programme) science and extending our scientific activities emanating from Genomes repertoire through their biological and Biodata. Open Targets (Associate Research insights and questions. A major Programme) The objectives are delivered via three priority of our research portfolio is the main activities as follows: Our scientific niche is in large-scale, scientific questions arising from the high-throughput biology, often health issues facing low- and middle- Research (via the Sanger Institute) incorporating systematic genome-wide income countries. We continue to Discourse (via Connecting Science) screens. This is enabled by major data champion the policy of early and generation platforms in DNA open data release and ensure Enterprise and Innovation. sequencing, cellular genetics and resources generated through our mouse genetics with an accompanying research enable the research of Mission large IT platform supporting others through publicly accessible Sanger Institute computational data interpretation and databases. analysis. One of the major challenges and Connecting