Martin Aslett

Martin Aslett is a Bioinformatician working in the Pathogen Informatics team within the Parasites and Microbes group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. He joined the Sanger Institute after working at the University of Cambridge Department of Pathology and the University of Edinburgh (based at EBI).

His educational background includes:

• M.Sc. in Bioinformatics from the University of York
• B.Sc. Hons from the University of Leeds

Aslett's research focuses on computational approaches to pathogen and parasite genomics, with expertise spanning:

• Genome sequencing and annotation of parasitic organisms
• Development of specialized bioinformatics databases and resources
• Comparative genomics across diverse pathogen species
• Evolutionary analysis of parasitic adaptations

His publication record reveals a strong emphasis on neglected tropical diseases, particularly African trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, and leishmaniasis. He has made significant contributions to major international genome projects including the Glossina Genome Initiative and multiple Trypanosoma sequencing efforts. His work consistently bridges computational biology with practical applications for understanding parasite biology and disease mechanisms.

Aslett has been instrumental in developing critical bioinformatics resources including GeneDB, TriTrypDB, and PomBase, which serve as essential tools for researchers worldwide studying pathogen genomics. His collaborative approach is evident through his extensive co-authorship on high-impact publications in journals such as Nature, Science, and Nucleic Acids Research.