Dr Louise Aigrain

Senior Staff Scientist

Alumni

This person is a member of Sanger Institute Alumni.

Louise focusses her research on testing and optimising new DNA library preparation methods to support our Faculties, DNA sequencing pipelines, as well as external collaborators. Her main goal is to push the performances of Next Generation Sequencing platforms and to design novel bespoke protocols for challenging samples or projects.

Current work:

I joined the Sanger Institute as a staff Scientist in 2014. My role is to evaluate and optimise new DNA library preparation methods with the view to transfer them to our Sequencing Pipelines, and to design new bespoke protocols to support our Faculties and collaborators. Some of my current projects involve the development of a new library protocol for ancient DNA specifically for the HiSeqX platform, beta testing of the Oxford Nanopore Technology and assessing the efficiency of any new DNA library preparation kits.

Previous experience:

Before joining the Sanger Institute, I spent 3 years as a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at the University of Oxford studying the dynamics of DNA polymerase I (PolI) using single molecules fluorescence microscopy both in vitro and in vivo. Previous to this, I completed a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology focussing on the structure-function relationship of the NADPH-Cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) at the University Paris-Sud. These studies established and illustrated the role of domain motion both in PolI and CPR for their fidelity and efficiency. In order to perform in vivo observations, I was also involved in the development of a novel method to internalise labelled biomolecules in living micro-organisms.

This expertise in Biophysics and Biochemistry has equipped me with the relevant tools to tackle NGS technologies in the wet lab, as well as on the data analysis and hardware fronts.

My timeline

• Senior Staff Scientist – R&D Sequencing team, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

• Staff Scientist – R&D Sequencing team, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

• Post-doctoral research assistant in Biophysics – Gene Machines Group, University of Oxford.

• Ph. D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Membrane Protein Engineering – French National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) & University Paris-Sud 11.

• Master’s degree in Bioorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry & “Magistère” in Molecular Physical Chemistry – University of Paris-Sud 11.

• Bachelor’s degree in Physical Chemistry – University of Paris-Sud 11.