Dr Sara Wells is the Director of the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell Institute, in her role she oversees and coordinates mouse genetics projects and animal welfare.

She first became interested in genetics at the age of 16 and went on to study Genetics at the University of Sheffield. In the 90s when transgenic technology really took off, she moved to the National Institute for Medical Research to study for a PhD using genetic engineering techniques in rodents. Following a post-doctoral research period at the University of Bristol, she moved to MRC Harwell in 2002.

Sara is driven by the continually changing field of genetics, its advancements and challenges. In particular genome editing and its possibilities for improving pre-clinical models, automated phenotyping and how it is going to change how we characterise genetically altered animals.

Sara is a member of various national groups and committees including the LASA council (Laboratory Animal Science Association) and the animal welfare and ethical review bodies for two other establishments (one academic, one pharmaceutical). Sara is keen to promote technological opportunities which promise to be able to reduce and refine the work undertaken in animal research.