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I will discuss the GMGalaxies programme, which is pursuing a ‘hybrid’ approach to cosmological galaxy formation simulations combining the best of cosmological zooms and idealised approaches of the past. By customising (‘genetically modifying’) our initial conditions, we can construct controlled tests of structure formation within a fully cosmological environment. This approach has allowed us to obtain new and unique insights into ultra-faint dwarf galaxy formation (as part of the “EDGE” project), AGN -driven galaxy quenching, large scale structure formation and the Milky Way fossil record seen by Gaia. In this talk, I will summarise some of these results but focus especially on recent insights into dwarf galaxy formation with EDGE.