Genetically modified organisms

Our use of genetically modified organisms helps us to understand better how some genes can cause disease and what might be done to prevent them. It’s an important part of our search for new and improved medicines.

The genetically modified organisms we use include animals (transgenic mice and zebra fish) and micro-organisms (including viruses, bacteria, fungi, such as yeast, and cultured mammalian and insect cells) into which genetic material, usually from a different species, often human, has been inserted. Genetically modified animals form a small part of our overall use (accounting for 16% of our total rodent use and 5% of our zebra fish use in 2011).

The use of genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) makes it possible to modify the characteristics of cells and to obtain highly purified recombinant proteins. These GMMs and proteins can then be used to help identify factors that cause human disease through a better understanding of the role that genes and their associated proteins play. They can also be used to develop and test new medicines.

We also use GMMs in our biopharmaceutical activities in the discovery, development and manufacture of medicines derived from biological molecules, for example antibodies (proteins produced by living organisms in response to disease, but which can also be manufactured using new technologies involving recombinant cells).

All our use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and GMMs is conducted in accordance with national and international legislation, with our own rigorous internal policy and biosafety compliance framework governing their use, storage and disposal, and with the high ethical standards outlined in our Bioethics Policy and Code of Conduct. All staff who work with GMOs and GMMs are scientifically qualified and are trained and competent in these areas of research. We require any supplier using GMOs or GMMs on our behalf to apply standards that are consistent our own.