James Hadfield

Developing ctDNA strategy & Epigenomics methods at @astrazeneca. NGS & Dx expert and 'omics fan. Developer of @Enseqlopedia, ex-@CRUK_CI. Views are all mine.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

"RNA-Seq: the teenage years" our review in @NatureRevGenet is now online. Thanks to my co-authors, to everyone who's work we cited and to all of you using RNA-Seq. Enjoy!
https://t.co/1G2HRA4XqE

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia it’s rammed on the 17:30 Cambridge to Norwich and the guard did nothing about the bikes that made it tough for people to get on and off. Maybe some training required? Or a wake up call if they were asleep in the back of the train!

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia the tracks near Little Thetford are giving the 13:13 from Cambridge South to Norwich a very bumpy ride. Might need to do some track maintenance on this section in the not too distant.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia Thanks Mus. If you can reply to a Tweet in five minutes it beggars belief that in the 45 minutes we took to go from Ely to Stowmarket no one was able to hold a train that was stationary when we pulled into the station!

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

Oh @greateranglia you really screwed up this time. About 200 people told to go from Ely to Stowmarket because the line to Norwich was blocked. And no one thought to let Colchester know to hold a train for two minutes.

Colchester staff are getting all the grief now.

[Seth Howes @SethSHowes]

I just sequenced a human genome to 30× coverage entirely at home.

As far as I know, this is the first time this has been done.

I didn’t step foot in a lab once. Every step - from saliva collection, to running the sequencer - took place in a single room with a dining table + kitchenette.

Six weeks ago, I had never done wet lab biology before.

I used an Oxford Nanopore P2 Solo - the only commercially available sequencing device portable enough to do 30x human genome sequencing at home.

Biggest takeaway - I could build something that combined software, hardware, and molecular biology far faster than I thought was possible.

I can name >100 specific instances where AI helped me solve a technical problem that would previously have blocked me because I lacked access to a domain expert.

For example: how do I save my sequencing run when my DNA extraction yield is 4x lower than I need it to be, and I have this limited set of reagents to hand?

To make this work, I had to navigate multiple disciplines:

- writing software to monitor sequencing runs and orchestrate remote GPU infra for basecalling
- learning + executing 5 hour long molecular biology protocols
- building a hardware device to quantify DNA concentration

Apologies for the hyperbole, but I feel super lucky to be living in 2026.

A few weeks ago I decided to sequence a human genome to 30x at home.

Then I actually did it. And I did it really quickly.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

Long time since I posted but here's a link to my new 'haystack': https://t.co/AdPj0DSoDo

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia we’re stuck at Brandon on the 17:30 train from CBG to WYM. What’s going on?

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

Absolutely rammed on the @greateranglia 16:28 CBG to NWI and the guard has done nothing to move bags or people from STN even though they knew this was a 3 carriage train.
They need to do their job and manage the bike area rather than hide in their office.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

Long time since I posted but here's a link to my new 'haystack': https://t.co/AdPj0DSoDo

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia Is there any chance the 07:26 will run?

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia That train is still stuck but the 07:26 from Norwich still says it’s delayed. It seems improbable that the train will be cleared in time that you’ll run this service…why not cancel it so people aren’t just hanging around?

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

The bogeys at the back of carriage 912409 are rocking the @greateranglia 14:26 CBG to NWI like mad.
I could probably make the perfect Bond martini, shaken not stirred!

Seriously though yesterday’s train was worse. Is it the rolling stock or the track? And is it a safety issue?!

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia You got approximately 80 people on a bus that can take 85-100. Standing on the lower deck is legal but you’re not allowing it - why?

You are making a bad situation worse.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia sorry to hear the news about the level crossing incident at Waterbeach.

Is there any info on the availability of buses at Cambridge North to Ely?

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia Apparently @greateranglia don’t allow people to stand on a replacement bus so 11 more people at least could have got on this one. I’m on the floor because for GA staff and 1 manager can’t count…but at least I’m moving.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia The queues at Cambridge North are running into the car park. We’ve been here 20 minutes and still no buses. This is unacceptable.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia Is there a tree blocking the line between Norwich and Wymondham?

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@greateranglia where is the 07:38 WYM to CBG? The app says it’s at Attleborough now but it never went past. Did it ever leave Norwich?
No announcement.
A dozen passengers left waiting in the cold.

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

@DrJasPlummer @Mq1Michael @BlundellLab @trevoragraham @AlastairGreyst2 @naserturabi @cmc_rodrigues @stephensammut @whatchamacaulay @irenepapatheodo @markeffingham @PeterFromen @nat_twine @GenomicsUK @StephanBeck6 @timaitman

[James Hadfield @coregenomics]

I'm coming to @FoGenomics next week. There's a great lineup of speakers (I'm particularly intersted in the Cancer Dx session) & hopefully time for a chat.

If you are going please say hi if you see me.

@generoom @ecuppen @clare__turnbull @mattloose @uclgenomics @adbegg @DeciBio