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The Earlham Institute (EI) will build upon the research foundation developed as TGAC and continue to help answer the most fundamental questions in biological sciences today, from its home on Norwich Research Park.
The institute’s genomics and bioinformatics research, enabled by DNA sequencing and supercomputing technologies, are already tackling issues such as food security, climate change, and health; through projects aimed at advancing our understanding of host-microbe interactions, and the impact of diversity on performance traits for crop and aquaculture improvement.
Established in 2009, and strategically supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC), the Institute has seen significant growth in employee numbers and research output.
With the development and implementation of a new scientific and commercial (entrepreneurial) strategy and new Institutional leadership, the Institute is looking to the future.
Director of the Earlham Institute Professor Neil Hall, said: “Significant changes have taken place here in the last few years. The breadth of our research and collaborations means that a name focusing on just one area of our science simply could not accurately describe the range of work that we do. I am looking forward to leading the organisation in this new phase of its development as the Earlham Institute.”
Chair of trustees Nigel Brown, said: "The Board is excited by the development of our institute from one primarily concerned with the acquisition and interpretation of genomic information to one that is collaboratively investigating important biological questions using multiple skills. This development is represented by our change of name."
BBSRC Chief Executive Professor Melanie Welham, added: “The future of biological scientific endeavour will see increasing collaboration between disciplines and we welcome the renaming of TGAC to the Earlham Institute to reflect its broader remit.
The change of name to Earlham Institute is part of a new visual identity for the Institute. The TGAC brand was reviewed taking into account the stakeholder perceptions including the name and logo. It was concluded that the name TGAC was no longer reflective of the evolution of the organisation and the breadth of scientific research being undertaken at the Institute.
Although the Institute has international stakeholders, the 'Earlham' name provides direct links to their locality and will further enhance community awareness and engagement and the broader Norwich Research Park; especially with their Norwich Research Park (NRP) partners, The University of East Anglia, who are a Corporate Member of the Institute’s Board.
Earlham Institute receives strategic funding from BBSRC and operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation.
