Haniffa Group

Genomics of immune cell populations at single-cell resolution

Based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, we study the human immune system at single-cell resolution using cutting-edge ‘omics’ technologies. By applying advanced computational techniques we seek to understand how the immune system develops and maintains health, and explore the consequences of infection, inflammation and disease. Our approach enables us to reconstruct the human immune system within its tissue context at all stages of life.

Our aims and values

Strength through diversity

We’re a diverse lab consisting of clinicians, researchers and students from across the globe.

Advocating team science

We advocate team science within a supportive and collaborative research environment.

Reproducible science

Data and analysis code from our publications are publicly available through our website.

Inclusion and innovation

We work hard to create a fun, inclusive training environment for all researchers and students.

Research Interests

The group’s research is part of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, a global collaboration that aims to create a comprehensive reference map of the human body by mapping every cell. The data generated will provide a vital foundation for understanding human health and diagnosing, monitoring and treating disease.

The team focuses on:

Development Cell Atlas – decoding the development and functional maturation of the human immune system.
Skin Cell Atlas – unravelling the cellular circuits during homeostasis and inflammatory skin diseases.
Human Developmental Biology Initiative – lineage analyses of the developing human immune system.

Creating this atlas across the human lifespan will further our understanding of ageing with important applications for stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Our Human Cell Atlas studies have showed how haematopoietic stem cells found prenatally are ‘supercharged’ with greater capacity to renew and differentiate into blood cells. Identifying the factors that can make stem cells more potent will improve stem cell therapies for example haematopoietic stem cell transplants, an effective therapy to treat leukaemia and lymphomas.

Our research has also showed that a common childhood tumour affecting the kidney, Wilms’ tumour, was due to aberrant nephron development. This has therapeutic implications as it means we can potentially treat Wilms’ tumour by inducing nephron differentiation instead of chemotherapy and surgery.

To build the Human Cell Atlas requires multi-disciplinary expertise; scientists, clinicians, bioinformaticians, engineers, software developers and computer scientists. This is why researchers with diverse background and expertise work collaboratively in the Haniffa Lab. The Human Cell Atlas data we have generated is free to access by everyone through our browsable webportal.

To find more about the Haniffa Lab at Sanger and Newcastle, please click here.

Cell Atlas Software

At https://developmental.cellatlas.io/ – we provide open access to:

Web app data explorer

For analysis and exploration of single cell RNA sequencing transcriptomics data

Single cell transcriptomics

Visual exploration of the expression of genes at the single-cell resolution

Public Engagement

We explore ways of engaging the public and scientific community with our work, to generate understanding and purpose in our research.

Our people

Group lead

Prof Muzlifah Haniffa, FMedSci

Interim Head of Cellular Genetics and Senior Group Leader

Muzlifah is interim Head of the Cellular Genetics programme, a Senior Group Leader in the Cellular Genetics programme, a Wellcome Senior Research Fellow, and Professor of Dermatology and Immunology at Newcastle University. Her research team pioneers the applications of single-cell genomics technologies to understand tissue homeostasis, immunity and disease pathogenesis. A major research goal is to decode the development and functional maturation of the human immune system.

Core team

Dr Nana-Jane Chipampe

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr April Rose Foster

Staff Scientist

Dr Laure Gambardella

Senior Staff Scientist

Dr Christine Hale

Senior Staff Scientist

Ms Shaista Madad

PhD Student

Dr Vicky Rowe

Laboratory Manager

Feri Torabi

Advanced Research Assistant

Dr Zinah Wassouf

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr Elena Winheim

Postdoctoral Fellow

Previous core team members

Stephane Ballereau

Principal Bioinformatician

Elias Benjamin Farr

PhD Student

Associated research

Collaborations

Collaboration

Human Cell Atlas

The International Human Cell Atlas initiative aims to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells—the fundamental units of life— ...

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Wellcome Sanger Institute

Programmes and Facilities

Programme

Cellular Genetics

We combine cutting-edge single-cell genomics at scale with advanced computational methods, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, to understand the human ...