UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative Showcases National Strength at BioTrinity 2026

The UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative made a strong showcase at BioTrinity 2026, held in London on 14–15 April, highlighting the breadth of innovation and collaboration emerging across the UK’s functional genomics ecosystem.

Now in its 20th year, BioTrinity brought together around 850 delegates from across academia, biotech, pharma, investment, and government, reinforcing its role as a key European forum for life sciences partnering and investment.

Seed-stage innovation and collaboration in focus

As part of the conference programme, the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative hosted a series of seed-stage talks that showcased cutting-edge research and translational opportunities from across its national network.

Presentations were delivered by:

• Professor Benjamin Housden, Industry Partnerships Manager for the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative, and Director of Business Engagement and Innovation at the University of Exeter
• Professor Dominic Furniss, representing the Musculoskeletal Cluster at the University of Oxford
• Dr Sarah Hassan, representing the Protein Post-translational Modification Cluster at Imperial College London
• Dr Nicola McCarthy, Head of Research at the Milner Therapeutics Institute, representing the Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory
• Professor Kenny Baillie, representing the Molecular Mechanisms Cluster at the University of Edinburgh, and Multiscale Labs.

Together, the speakers highlighted the Initiative’s mission to accelerate the translation of functional genomics discoveries into therapeutic and clinical impact, while strengthening collaboration between academia, industry, and healthcare.

Spotlight on Multiscale Labs

A particular highlight came from Kenny Baillie, who presented on Multiscale Labs, an emerging spin-out company from the University of Edinburgh. Multiscale Labs is developing an AI platform to improve drug discovery predict how biological changes impact human health. It analyses large-scale biological variation, using natural genetic differences to uncover cause-and-effect relationships. The company applies AI across multiple biological scales and emphasizes the importance of measuring confidence to ensure predictions are reliable, with the goal of making drug development faster and more successful by improving how treatments are discovered and validated.

Strengthening the UK’s life sciences ecosystem

The Initiative’s presence at BioTrinity reflects a broader commitment to positioning the UK as a global leader in functional genomics. With BioTrinity offering a platform for early-stage companies, investors, and academic innovators to connect and collaborate, the event provided an ideal setting to showcase the Initiative’s pipeline of talent and innovation.

As the UK continues to invest in genomics-driven healthcare and research, the contributions from the Human Functional Genomics Initiative – and spin-outs like Multiscale Labs – demonstrate the sector’s momentum and its potential to deliver transformative advances in medicine.

If you would like to find out more about working with the Initiative or for any more information, please contact us at [email protected]