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The Francis Crick Institute
@crick.ac.uk
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We're the Crick, a biomedical research lab in London working to figure out how life works.

Home to more than 2,000 scientists and a free public exhibition space.

https://www.crick.ac.uk/
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crick.ac.uk
This image shows the evolutionary history for avian influenza H5 haemagglutinin genes using data taken from 10,000 samples between 1959 and the present.

The inner branches are coloured by genetic clade. For the past decade, clade 2.3.4.4 (red) has been the most frequently detected worldwide.
A colourful map of the world, surrounded by an almost-complete circle with different coloured branches coming off along its length A legend showing which colours correspond to NA subtyptes (N1-N9), geographical locations (each continent), year (1960-2020) and host (including human, poultry, swine and other groups of animals).
November 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
crick.ac.uk
Why is it so difficult to understand and treat the diseases that cause dementia?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about Alzheimer's disease, dementia and the ageing brain.

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform: lnk.to/AQOSDementiaBB
Promotional image for 'Can We Repair the Ageing Brain?' with five speakers and microphones.
November 12, 2025 at 2:38 PM
crick.ac.uk
This image shows a mass of human stem cells, collectively known as an ‘organoid’.

We stained the neural crest cells of this organoid to better understand diseases related to defects in their development, such as Hirschsprung's disease and Neuroblastoma.

Image credit: @carmenmorenogon.bsky.social
A circle composed of many oval-shaped dots, mostly coloured blue apart from a few pink ones in the bottom left corner.
November 10, 2025 at 9:27 AM
crick.ac.uk
We had another full house at our Annual Science Meeting this week, which featured over 100 posters and 30 talks by our Crick colleagues.

These yearly events are a great way for us all to get together and discover what teams from every corner of the building have been working on.
A person standing in front of a lectern on a stage speaking to a crowd full of seated people. A large crowd of people mingling between many rows of posters. Two people talking while looking towards a poster, with more posters and people in the background. Three people looking intently at a scientific poster.
November 7, 2025 at 10:28 AM
crick.ac.uk
Egg freezing, fertility tech and why ovulation is like the Hunger Games.

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the future of fertility.

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform:
lnk.to/AQOSFertilit...
Promotional image for 'What's the future of fertility?' with five speakers and microphones.
November 5, 2025 at 3:10 PM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Who owns space?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the politics, ethics and law of outer space exploration.

Listen now on your favourite podcast platform: www.lnk.to/AQOSSpaceBB
Promotional image for 'Who owns space?' with five speakers and microphones.
October 29, 2025 at 9:07 AM
crick.ac.uk
Crick group leaders work across disciplines, supported by core funding and mentoring to build ambitious, curiosity-driven research.

Apply now to join us ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 27, 2025 at 2:07 PM
crick.ac.uk
Looking for fun science activities you can do with kids to keep their brains engaged this half term?

We’ve created a website full of activities, videos and quizzes for young people to spark excitement about science.

🔗 kids.crick.ac.uk/experiment

#KidsActivities #ScienceKids
October 24, 2025 at 3:57 PM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Who are our ancestors and why does it matter?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about ancient DNA.

Listen on your favourite podcast platform: lnk.to/AQOSAncientD...
Episode graphic titled “Why Does Ancient DNA Matter?” featuring several speakers and a large question mark background.
October 22, 2025 at 8:18 AM
crick.ac.uk
This image shows the flow cell of a Fusion sorter, an instrument used to study and sort individual cells.

The lasers excite any fluorescent tags used to ‘mark’ the cells, while detectors measure the output to determine the properties of each individual cell.
A small, clear device sits on a black base, with different coloured lights shining on it from either side and small tubes coming out the top
October 17, 2025 at 9:24 AM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Will we survive climate change?

Join our expert panellists as they answer your questions about curbing rising global temperatures and what life could be like in a warmer world.

Listen on your favourite podcast platform: www.lnk.to/AQOSClimateBB
Panel of speakers with the title ‘Can We Survive Climate Change?’ from BBC Studios and The Francis Crick Institute.
October 15, 2025 at 7:29 AM
crick.ac.uk
This image shows neurons being grown on a surface with tiny patterns that resemble human tissue to ‘steer’ their growth.

Models like this allow us to learn more about our nervous system and conditions like motor neurone disease.
Image credit: Cathleen Hagemann and @andreaserio.bsky.social
Four large circular bulbs are spread out like a square. Between the colourful bulbs, and in the background, are long, differently-coloured tendrils, which take up most of the rest of the image.
October 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
crick.ac.uk
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.

Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.

Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 9, 2025 at 2:06 PM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Are we prepared for the next pandemic?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about COVID-19 and whether we're ready for the next pandemic.

Listen on your favourite podcast platform: lnk.to/AQOSPandemic...
Promotional image for Can We Stop the Next Pandemic? featuring five speakers and logos for The Francis Crick Institute and BBC Studios.
October 8, 2025 at 5:20 AM
crick.ac.uk
Are you a researcher at @ucl.ac.uk, @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social, or @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social looking to keep up with the Crick?

Sign up to our monthly newsletter for researchers at our partner universities to hear about events, opportunities and news ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/research/res...
Four scientists in lab coats in a laboratory space, talking and listening.
October 2, 2025 at 8:03 AM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Can we harness AI for good?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the future of cancer research and treatment.

Listen on your favourite podcast platform: lnk.to/AQOSAIBB
Panel discussion promotional image titled ‘How Can We Harness AI for Good?’ featuring several speakers with microphones.
October 1, 2025 at 5:28 AM
crick.ac.uk
NEW EPISODE: Can we cure cancer?

Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the future of cancer research and treatment.

Listen on your favourite podcast platform:
lnk.to/AQOSCancerBB
Promotional image with the text 'Can We Cure Cancer?' showing four panellists on the left and a host speaking into a microphone on the right against a colourful background.
September 24, 2025 at 5:22 AM
crick.ac.uk
NEW PODCAST: ‘A Question of Science’ with Professor Brian Cox.

In every episode, panels of scientists and experts answer audience questions about some of the biggest issues facing us today.

Listen to the first episode, ‘Can we live forever?’: lnk.to/AQOSAgeingBB
September 17, 2025 at 5:25 AM
crick.ac.uk
What is consciousness?

Meet the panellists for an upcoming live episode recording of our new podcast, A Question of Science:

@anilseth.bsky.social, @smfleming.bsky.social, @kathaschmack.bsky.social and Alex O'Connor

📅 9 September 14:45
🎟️ Book your free tickets now ⬇️
🔗 lostintv.com/tv-show?id=1...
Brian Cox sitting on a chair on a well-lit stage, with two guests on either side. Each person has a microphone in front of them.
August 28, 2025 at 10:27 AM
crick.ac.uk
What is the future of fertility?

Meet the panellists for one of the upcoming live episode recordings of our podcast, A Question of Science:
@profjoyceharper.bsky.social, @lucyvandewiel.bsky.social,
@nmoris.bsky.social and @gunes-taylor.bsky.social.

🎟️ Book now ⬇️
🔗 lostintv.com/tv-show?id=1...
Four people sitting on chairs on a stage as part of a panel, each with a microphone in front of them, with Brian Cox in the middle. A group of audience members can be seen from behind watching the stage.
August 21, 2025 at 12:21 PM
crick.ac.uk
Crick staff joined UK Black Pride this weekend for its 20th anniversary, celebrating diversity in all its forms.

We can’t wait to see even more Crick faces there next year for a fantastic day out.

Thanks to the Crick’s Debipriya Das for the photos. 📷
Three people posing with sunglasses inside a tent decorated to look like a science lab. A table full of activities. Three people on one side of the table are hunched over looking at something obscured by their heads. Someone on the other side of the table is reaching over. Three people facing away from the camera with shirts that say ‘Proud Crick’. Four people posing inside a tent decorated to look like a science lab. They are all holding fans with a rainbow design and standing in front of a table.
August 13, 2025 at 8:49 AM
crick.ac.uk
Be part of the live studio audience for a new podcast from the Crick and BBC Studios Science Unit.

Free tickets are available to our next six recordings, with topics ranging from consciousness to space.

Book tickets to the live recordings on 5, 9, and 17 September
🔗 lostintv.com/tv-show?id=1...
Brian Cox sits in a well-lit chair in front of a bookshelf. He has a microphone in front of him, and three other guests are sitting around him, also with microphones in front of them.
July 25, 2025 at 3:07 PM
crick.ac.uk
Last week we held our annual Bring Your Culture to Work Day, where people from around the building share their culture through food, clothing, dance, and a variety of activities from around the world.

The evening included a mariachi performance, a themed quiz, and the Castellers of London.
A person is pouring a cup of coffee from an ornate coffee pot. In the background are some people in front of a French flag. A person in bright red Indian clothes stands in front of a table with a pot and some cups. There is an Indian flag and decorations in the background. A person waves to the camera in front of a table with various food and drink items. In front of the table are two signs that say ‘Saint Lucia’ and ‘Trinidad & Tobago’, and there is some information about the countries behind the person waving. A group of people in Romanian/Moldovan clothes stand in front of a table with various plates of food. In the background are two signs that say 'Romania' and 'Moldova'.
July 15, 2025 at 12:47 PM
crick.ac.uk
Last week we said goodbye to our #HelloBrain exhibition.

We want to thank the over 78,000 people who visited while it was open, making it by far our most popular exhibition yet.

We hope you all left knowing a little more about our amazing brains. 🧠
An empty exhibition with plastic cutouts of different animals and pink models of their brains on a central table. An empty exhibition featuring many different sections with cardboard cutouts of people and scientific images. An empty room with tables and chairs. There is a large cutout of a brain stuck to the windows with the text 'Hello Brain' written in large letters.
June 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM
crick.ac.uk
Thanks to everyone who brought the fun and excitement to another fantastic Discovery Day this weekend. 🥳

Over 1,000 of you took part in our outdoor and indoor science activities, and the science magic show was a huge hit. 🪄🧪

We look forward to seeing you all at the next one. 👋
A person in a purple shirt is at a table holding onto a large beaker while a child does something with their hand above the beaker. There are multiple different fruits laid out on a table. A young child in a yellow shirt is pressing their finger down on the orange. A large group of people, including adults and children, are engaging in a variety of activities including playing with hula hoops. The scene takes place in front of a large glass building. A group of children wearing lab coats and science goggles are posing in front of a purple background.
June 24, 2025 at 9:31 AM