Harnessing Biosyntheiss for Sustainable Food and Health: Targeting metabolic traits to improve the nutritional value and sustainability of crops
Lead Research Organisation:
JOHN INNES CENTRE
Abstract
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Technical Summary
Targeting metabolic traits to improve the nutritional quality and sustainability of crops
Food security demands a supply of food that provides a healthy and nutritious diet, keeps pace with growing populations and overcomes the threats posed by climate change and the environmental damage caused by unsustainable agricultural practices. In WP1 we will target metabolic traits to produce new crop varieties with properties that address the health issues of obesity, malnutrition, and under-nutrition in the developed and developing world. In parallel, we will exploit our knowledge of plant metabolism to achieve high-yielding crops with reduced agrochemical inputs and lower environmental impacts.
The wealth of available sequence data and emerging genome-editing technologies offers unprecedented opportunities for elucidating the molecular and genetic basis of important metabolic traits in crops. JIC’s Germplasm Resources Unit houses several large collections of important crops, including wheat (Watkins collection; tetraploid and hexaploid TILLING lines; Aegilops tauschii variety panel), pea (world heritage collections; mutant collections), and the GCRF supported orphan crop grass pea (Lathyrus sativus). In the last five years, genome sequences of many accessions of these collections have been generated, providing a rich source from which to discover genes involved in uncharacterized biochemical pathways. Application of our knowledge and technical expertise in plant metabolic biology has already uncovered several genes and genetic polymorphisms affecting biosynthetic steps that alter nutritional traits such as iron levels, starch properties and health-promoting flavonoids in various crops. A vast wealth of genomic data remains to be explored.
We will expand our mining of these data for valuable traits of interest to consumers and industry for balanced, sustainable, plant-based diets. Traits include starch digestibility, the levels and bioavailability of minerals, vitamin D3, polyphenols and flavour components, and the removal of anti-nutritional, toxic and “off-flavour” compounds. We will also target metabolic traits that contribute to the sustainability of crop production, including nitrogen use efficiency, pollinator attraction, and defence against pests and fungal pathogens, with the aim of identifying molecular strategies for crop improvement. Using the latest Gene-Editing (GE) technologies and the crop transformation platform at JIC, we will generate proof-of-principle and pre-breeding material for important traits we uncover. Research in WP1 is closely allied to and integrated with research on crops in the BRiC, DSW and APH ISPs and the FMH ISP at QIB.
Food security demands a supply of food that provides a healthy and nutritious diet, keeps pace with growing populations and overcomes the threats posed by climate change and the environmental damage caused by unsustainable agricultural practices. In WP1 we will target metabolic traits to produce new crop varieties with properties that address the health issues of obesity, malnutrition, and under-nutrition in the developed and developing world. In parallel, we will exploit our knowledge of plant metabolism to achieve high-yielding crops with reduced agrochemical inputs and lower environmental impacts.
The wealth of available sequence data and emerging genome-editing technologies offers unprecedented opportunities for elucidating the molecular and genetic basis of important metabolic traits in crops. JIC’s Germplasm Resources Unit houses several large collections of important crops, including wheat (Watkins collection; tetraploid and hexaploid TILLING lines; Aegilops tauschii variety panel), pea (world heritage collections; mutant collections), and the GCRF supported orphan crop grass pea (Lathyrus sativus). In the last five years, genome sequences of many accessions of these collections have been generated, providing a rich source from which to discover genes involved in uncharacterized biochemical pathways. Application of our knowledge and technical expertise in plant metabolic biology has already uncovered several genes and genetic polymorphisms affecting biosynthetic steps that alter nutritional traits such as iron levels, starch properties and health-promoting flavonoids in various crops. A vast wealth of genomic data remains to be explored.
We will expand our mining of these data for valuable traits of interest to consumers and industry for balanced, sustainable, plant-based diets. Traits include starch digestibility, the levels and bioavailability of minerals, vitamin D3, polyphenols and flavour components, and the removal of anti-nutritional, toxic and “off-flavour” compounds. We will also target metabolic traits that contribute to the sustainability of crop production, including nitrogen use efficiency, pollinator attraction, and defence against pests and fungal pathogens, with the aim of identifying molecular strategies for crop improvement. Using the latest Gene-Editing (GE) technologies and the crop transformation platform at JIC, we will generate proof-of-principle and pre-breeding material for important traits we uncover. Research in WP1 is closely allied to and integrated with research on crops in the BRiC, DSW and APH ISPs and the FMH ISP at QIB.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Publications
Abdel-Raheem S
(2023)
Oceanography's Diversity Deficit: Identifying and Addressing Challenges for Marginalized Groups
in Oceanography
Alagna F
(2023)
OeBAS and CYP716C67 catalyze the biosynthesis of health-beneficial triterpenoids in olive (Olea europaea) fruits.
in The New phytologist
Atkins E
(2024)
Distinctive acidity in citrus fruit is linked to loss of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis.
in iScience
Atkinson N
(2024)
SAGA1 and SAGA2 promote starch formation around proto-pyrenoids in Arabidopsis chloroplasts.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Brown E
(2025)
Effect of Vitamin D2 Supplementation on 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Status: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
in Nutrition Reviews
Byers KJRP
(2023)
Reducing eggs on eggplant: a common naturally emitted plant volatile could replace insecticides in the 'king of vegetables'.
in The New phytologist
Chen J
(2024)
Nuclear factor-Y-polycomb repressive complex2 dynamically orchestrates starch and seed storage protein biosynthesis in wheat.
in The Plant cell
Chen J
(2023)
Gene expression profile of the developing endosperm in durum wheat provides insight into starch biosynthesis.
in BMC plant biology
| Description | Significant progress has been made in the last reporting year in improving the nutritional value and sustainability of crops. We showed that iron levels can be greatly enhanced in different parts of the plant, based on a full biochemical characterization of the N-terminal domain of BRUTUS, a negative regulator of iron uptake in plants (10.1038/s41467-025-58853-9). In particular, a mutation in the BRUTUS protein from pea precludes iron binding to the first hemerythrin motif, increasing the threshold of activation of iron sensor. In separate work, substrate studies on several plant NPF8 transporters demonstrated that they mediate uptake of zinc, cadmium, and manganese, transporting both free ions and amino acid-chelated forms. Strikingly, this metal transport activity is maximized at basic pH, in contrast to the acidic pH preference previously characterized for other substrates such as nitrate/nitrite, glucosinolates, sugars and plant hormones. Consistent with this function, mutants in Arabidopsis exhibit altered metal accumulation patterns in shoots and seeds, supporting their physiological relevance in vivo. We have elucidated the biosynthetic pathway leading to the formation of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) toxin, beta-L-ODAP and have produced a detail a reference genome assembly (10.1038/s41597-024-03868-y) which will be valuable for comparative genomics analyses and a basis for genome wide association studies to identify candidate genes for future crop improvement. This represents the most contiguous and accurate genome assembly of the grasspea genome to date. Starch quality is influenced by the shape and size of starch granules. We discovered that the A- and B-type starch granules in wheat are initiated by distinct biochemical mechanisms (10.1093/plcell/koad217), involving specific regulators (10.1093/plphys/kiae429). Further, we discovered that the structure of the amyloplast, the organelle in which starch is produced, exerts an effect on starch granule morphology (10.1111/nph.19118; 10.1111/nph.70803). By modulating both of these biochemical and structural factors, we can create novel alterations on granule morphology (10.64898/2025.12.12.693964). We also surveyed the natural diversity of starch granules among wild grass species, and used comparative transcriptomics to find candidate genes determining different starch granule size and shape (10.1016/j.cub.2026.01.038). One of the candidate genes was Starch Synthase 3 (SS3), which was further characterised in wheat as having an important role in determining starch structure (10.1111/nph.70973). In addition, novel components in starch granule shape in potato (10.1111/pbi.14505) and pea (doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062612) were identified. |
| Exploitation Route | See Narrative Impact statement |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
| Description | Based on recent findings regarding the mode of action of the plant iron sensor, Balk has obtained pump-prime funding from iCURE and the Biofortification Hub to commercially develop pea lines with enhanced iron levels. To build a spin-out company, new collaborations with industry partners Plant Research (NZ) Ltd, IAG and Healy Group have been set up. Martin progressed work on the provitamin D3 biofortified tomatoes, starting a bioavailability study (Vital-D) in collaboration with QIB and won funding for taking this precision bred tomato to market from Innovate-UK. Martin was also involved in a systematic review of clinical data on the effect of vitamin D2 supplementation and metabolism of a vitamin D3 derivative (10.1093/nutrit/nuaf166). Seung was awarded a BBSRC Follow-on Fund (BB/Z517501/1) to explore how wheat lines with modified starch structure can lead to benefits for industrial processing and health. This grant includes collaborations with major food and starch processors, including Limagrain, Cargill, Roquette and Manildra. Miller's company PlentySense Ltd, was incorporated on 13/07/2023 to sell nitrate sensors for 'on farm' optimisation of nitrogen inputs based on research undertaken as part of a previous research programme. PlentySense Ltd Soil sensors are now available for a range of crops with differing root lengths such as cereals, potatoes and onions, and are designed to detect nitrate availability at different soil depths to identify if enough nitrogen is available to the developing crop. Ongoing field trials are being used to gather real-time data and assess how many sensors are needed to map an entire field. Sensors are undergoing continuous improvements to identify new sensor molecules with improved selectivity and to improve wireless communication infrastructure to enable easy access to farm data. |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | Attended Roundtable meeting to discuss how Government might further help in the UK's engineering biology sector. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Boosting Biofortification: Bridging Science, Practice, and Policy Workshop |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | CCC discussion meeting |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Discussion with Thérèse Coffey MP - Defra Secretary of State |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Precision Breeding Act passed - highly relevant to JIC science and future crop breeding science. |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/game-changing-genetic-technology-bill-passes-into-law-in-england/ |
| Description | Member, UK Engineering Biology Steering Group (not the Engineering Biology Advisory Panel |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/engineering-biology-advisory-panel |
| Description | Visit by Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Co-Centre for SUstainable and REsilient FOOD systems (SUREFOOD-I) |
| Amount | ÂŁ6,280,664 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y012909/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 01/2030 |
| Description | EBioAct: Environmentally sustainable production of bioactive triterpenes |
| Amount | ÂŁ1,395,148 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y007751/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 02/2026 |
| Description | EIT Seedbed Incubator |
| Amount | € 10,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 05/2024 |
| End | 12/2025 |
| Description | Engineering saponin biosynthesis pathways for bio-production of novel vaccine adjuants |
| Amount | ÂŁ646,458 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/W017857/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2022 |
| End | 04/2024 |
| Description | Engineering synthetic plant artificial chromosomes (synPACs) |
| Amount | ÂŁ7,683,729 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | PROP- PR01-P004 |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2028 |
| Description | Engineering wheat for take-all resistance |
| Amount | ÂŁ663,638 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y513544/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 01/2026 |
| Description | Environmentally sustainable routes to production and diversification of potent vaccine adjuvants |
| Amount | ÂŁ51,700 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | PGL25-Full/100017 |
| Organisation | Rosetrees Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2025 |
| End | 10/2028 |
| Description | Grasspea: feed and field feasibility |
| Amount | ÂŁ43,080 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10128013 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2024 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for human health |
| Amount | ÂŁ4,817,214 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 227375/Z/23/Z |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 12/2031 |
| Description | Morphological Modifications: A new approach to improve starch for food and industrial applications using genetics |
| Amount | ÂŁ306,934 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | APP31131 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 12/2026 |
| Description | Omega-3 enhanced tomatoes (O3TOM) |
| Amount | ÂŁ16,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Description | PCGIN |
| Amount | ÂŁ3,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 06/2029 |
| Description | HBio workshop to Build relationships Rothamsted Research GREEN ISP |
| Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Workshop organised to demonstrate capability at both JIC and RRes for ECR and platform staff across the two institutes. Aiming to build relationships to aid future collaborations and exploitation of resources across the two Institutes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Presentations and discussion |
| Impact | Plans for further discussions and new knowledge of capabilities and specialisms |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Partnership with NISD and UEA on future climate scenarios for break crops |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Discussions underway to inform research programme understanding the climate, soil and financial influences on growing a range of break crops in the UK |
| Collaborator Contribution | Modelling work, GIS, mapping and correlating datasets. Discussions |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Title | Biosynthesis |
| Description | The present invention relates to a biosynthetic route to the QS-21 and QS-18 molecules including the C-18 acyl chain and precursors thereof, as well as enzymes involved, the products produced and uses of the products. |
| IP Reference | WO2023180677 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2023 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS |
| Description | The present invention relates to a biosynthetic route to intermediates of the QS-21 molecule, as well as routes to make the QS-21 molecule, enzymes involved, the products produced and uses of the product. |
| IP Reference | WO2022136563 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2022 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS RELATING TO THE SYNTHESIS OF THE QS-7 MOLECULE |
| Description | The present invention relates to a biosynthetic route to precursors of the QS-7 molecule, as well as routes to make the QS-7 molecule, enzymes involved, the products produced and uses of the product. |
| IP Reference | WO2024003514 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | METHODS FOR ALTERING STARCH GRANULE SIZE PROFILE |
| Description | The invention relates to methods for altering the size of starch granules in starch storage organs in plants, and in particular in Triticeae crops. Also described are genetically altered plants characterised by the above phenotype as well as methods of producing such plants. The methods may comprise reducing the expression and/or activity of paralog of accumulation and replication of chloroplasts6 (parc6). |
| IP Reference | WO2024208896 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
| Licensed | No |
| Title | METHODS OF ALTERING THE STARCH GRANULE PROFILE IN PLANTS |
| Description | The invention relates to methods for altering the starch granule composition in starch storage organs. Also described are genetically altered plants characterised by the above phenotype as well as methods of producing such plants. |
| IP Reference | WO2024027967 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
| Licensed | No |
| Title | Metabolic engineering |
| Description | The invention relates generally to materials and methods for biosynthesising quillaic acid in a host by expressing heterologous nucleotide sequences in the host each of which encodes a polypeptide which in combination have said QA biosynthesis activity. Example polypeptides include (i) a Beta-amyrin synthase; (ii) an enzyme capable of oxidising Beta-amyrin or an oxidised derivative thereof at the C-28 position to a carboxylic acid; (iii) an enzyme capable of oxidising Beta-amyrin or an oxidised derivative thereof at the C-16a position to an alcohol; and (iv) an enzyme capable of oxidising Beta-amyrin or an oxidised derivative thereof at the C-23 position to an aldehyde. Preferred nucleotide sequences are obtained from, or derived from, Q. saponaria. |
| IP Reference | WO2019122259 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | This patent has been pivotal to the development of a large collaboration with a major pharma company. |
| Title | SAPONARIOSIDE BIOSYNTHETIC ENZYMES |
| Description | This invention relates to methods of producing triterpenoids using one or more of (i) Saponaria officinalis Ăź-amyrin synthase (SobAS) (ii) S. officinalis C28 oxidase (SoC28) (iii) S. officinalis C28C16 oxidase (SoC28C16) (iv) S. officinalis C23 oxidase (SoC23); (v) S. officinalis QA 3-O glucuronosyl transferase SoCSL; (vi) S. officinalis QA-GlcA SoC3Gal; (vii) S. officinalis QA-GlcA-Gal x SoC3Xyl (viii) S. officinalis QA-Tri fucosyl transferase SoC28Fu (ix) S. officinalis QA-TriF rhamnosyl transferase SoC28Rha (x) S. officinalis QA-TriFR xyl SoC28Xyl1; (xi) S. officinalis QA-TriFRX xyl SoC28Xyl2; (xii) S. officinalis QA-TriFRXX quinovosyl SoGH1 and (xiii) S. officinalis QA-TriF(Q)RXX acetyl SoBAHD1 polypeptide. Methods, host cells, isolated polypeptides, nucleic acids, and plants are provided. |
| IP Reference | WO2024003012 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | SAPONIN PRODUCTION IN YEAST |
| Description | The present invention relates inter alia to methods of biosynthetic production of QS-21, precursors and variants thereof, and to related aspects. |
| IP Reference | WO2023122801 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2023 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | TRANSFERASE ENZYMES |
| Description | The present invention relates generally to genes and polypeptides which have utility in glycosylating quillaic acid in host cells, including enzymes capable of successive glycosylation at the C-3 position of quillaic acid. The invention further relates to systems, methods and products employing the same. |
| IP Reference | WO2020260475 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2020 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | TBC |
| Title | plantpollinator/RedYellowMimulus: Red-yellow monkeyflowers: custom Perl scripts |
| Description | Initial release of custom Perl scripts used in Wenzell, Neequaye et al. publication on red-yellow color transitions in monkeyflowers (Mimulus). |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Has facilitated rapid GC-MS data analysis for my lab and is available for others to use |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.14747860 |
| Company Name | Plenty Sense Limited |
| Description | |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | The first successful season of field trials was completed in 2024. |
| Description | "A million shades of green: Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for therapeutic applications" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | SCI Engineering Biology Conference, theme of translation out of academia into industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | "Discovery of the biosynthetic pathway of QS-21 for engineering sustainable bio-production" - PostDoc Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at GRS Plant Metabolic Engineering, Spain. Audience primarily academic, with industry and science journal editors present. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | "Discovery of the biosynthetic pathway of QS-21 for engineering sustainable bio-production" - PostDoc Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk at the 11th PSEPB Conference in Poznan, Poland. Audience was exclusively academic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | "Unlocking a pharmaceutical treasure trove-Elucidation of the pathway for biosynthesis of saponariosides from the soapwort plant" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Post Doc talk at Plant Genomes, Systems Biology & Engineering Conference Nov. 29th - Dec. 2nd 2023, at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | '"Limonoid biosynthesis in plants- scaffold rearrangment and furan formaion" - PostDoc Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk at The chemistry and biology of natural products symposium XVI |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | 2023 Pint of Science talk (MN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Pint of Science - presentation on pollinators and scent profiles |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | 2050 Genomics: Understanding and Sustaining Life on Earth Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Academic careers with disabilities panel - Accessible Sharks |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Panelist for an academic careers with disabilities panel for the Accessible Sharks USA National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates programme which is aimed at disabled undergraduate students. Approximately 10 students received careers and professional advice from panelists who were disabled role models. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://accessiblesharks.wordpress.com/ |
| Description | Agrii Workshop and Discussion Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting to discuss future collaboration hosted by Agrii (host company) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Agritech Careers Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We set up a day for sixth form science students to come to our research institute to learn about Agritech careers stemming from plant and microbial sciences. The students got to hear from a range of presenters from new PhD students to group leaders, spin out companies, industry and business. They also visited our field station to see large-scale crop trials out in the field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Agritech Careers Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We set up a day for A Level science students to come and learn about the diversity of careers in the Agritech sector. The students heard about current research projects into biofortification of foods for health, ecological studies into soil microbes for plant growth and the importance of germplasm banks for preserving genetic diversity for research. They visited field trials to see plant experiments in action looking at things like improved drought tolerance and saw a drone display to find out how this, along with satellites are enabling the development of precision agriculture. We ran a workshop on gene editing and showed examples of how gadgets such as Nitrogen sensors made for research in the lab can be scaled up to benefit farmers managing nutrients on crops. The day is designed to inspire young people and give them ideas on where their career paths in science could take them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Anne Osbourn Novozymes Prize Symposium - 'A million shades of green: Understanding and harnessing plant metabolic diversity' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This Novozymes Symposium was focused on cutting edge research in understanding and harnessing plant metabolic diversity. Plants are chemical engineers par excellence, collectively making a vast array of structurally diverse natural products. These molecules have important ecological functions in nature. They are also important to humans for food, health and other industrial applications. The rapidly growing body of available plant genome sequence data is leading to a marked acceleration in the discovery of new biosynthetic pathways and chemistries. The focus of the symposium was on plant natural products - biosynthesis, function, mechanisms of metabolic diversification, and metabolic engineering. It included exciting talks from 12 invited speakers - experts in computational biology, integrated 'omics, biochemistry, metabolic biology, plant diversity and evolution, a mix of early career group leaders and more established research scientists from Europe, Asia and North America. Participants had ample opportunity to enjoy good food and networking in the coffee breaks, at lunch and dinner, and during the poster sessions. Registration was free for all attendees. Two publications have been generated as an outcome of this symposium, one already published in PLOS Biology, and another under submission (a commissioned highlight review for EMBO J, written by a team of five postdoctoral researchers from the Osbourn lab). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.tilmeld.dk/anneosbournnovozymesprizesymposium |
| Description | Anne Osbourn meeting with George Freeman MP during visit to Norwich Research Park |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Anne Osbourn met George Freeman MP (Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) as one of the NRP Entrepreneurial Researchers. Professor Anne Osbourn, Founder of Hothouse Therapeutics, spoke about Unlocking Nature's Inaccessible Chemistry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Anne Osbourn was on the Scientific Advisory Review Committee for the Weizmann Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | President of the Weizmann Institute of Science invited the assistance of Anne Osbourn with a Scientific Academic Advisory Committee (SAAC) review of Plant and Environmental Sciences (2022) at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, scheduled to take place on October 23, 2022 through October 27, 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Article - Vaccine Adjuvant QS-21 Produced in Tobacco |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | GEN Article quoting AS-21 Work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Article on Spin out - Hothouse Therapeutics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Article published in Biosciencetoday - New spin-out at Norwich Research Park harnessing plant power for next generation drugs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.biosciencetoday.co.uk/new-spin-out-at-norwich-research-park-harnessing-plant-power-for-n... |
| Description | BBC Radio 4 "Start The Week" appearance |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Appearance as a guest on BBC Radio 4's "Start The Week" show (42 minutes) with colleagues from Oxford and Kew on a show titled "Mysterious Plants". Audience for the show reaches 3 million according to BBC invite. Multiple engagements and feedback via email and Twitter, including offers of collaboration and public questions. Audiences very keen to hear more about plant science, an often under-reported topic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wxkb |
| Description | Biofortification community hub meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Biofortification community hub meeting, speakers included Rick Mumford of the FSA who presented on Novel food and feed in the UK: a regulatory perspective. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Biological Diversity Work Group Panel Member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | UKRI/BBSRC Biological Diversity Working Group in person and on zoom held on 23rd November 2023. Included 5 minute presentation on perspectives on biological diversity (including own research and wider opportunities, trends and drivers relating to biological diversity) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Botanists unlock the Chilean medical marvel that Charles Darwin missed |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://observer.co.uk/news/science-technology/article/botanists-unlock-the-chilean-medical-marvel-t... |
| Description | Botanists unlock the Chilean medical marvel that Charles Darwin missed Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview and short tour with James Tapper who visited as part of a fact-finding trip. Explained the work with the Chilean soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria). The tree is a valuable source of a substance called QS-21, used as an ingredient in some of the world's leading vaccines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://observer.co.uk/news/science-technology/article/botanists-unlock-the-chilean-medical-marvel-t... |
| Description | Breeders Day 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Over 60 stakeholders attendees this year including 12 crop breeding companies, 3 farms, 2 agronomists, agri-tech, biotech and environmental consultants, wildlife charities and industrial representative bodies such as the NFU, BBSRC and DEFRA. Demonstration of pea diversity set and yield resilience in oilseed rape amongst other areas of JIC research. 64% of attendees anticipated follow-up discussions with scientists. These stakeholders found the event a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest research, maintain and improve relationships, both with us and with each other. Our questionnaire revealed that they valued the opportunity to ask questions and learn about recent advances - for example, in drone applications for crop phenotyping and genome editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Breeders Day 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A demonstration day focused aimed at Plant Breeders and related agri-businesses to demonstrate JIC research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Careers Talk for Gatsby Plant Science Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presented a careers talk on plant science and science communication for a group of Undergraduate students at the Gatsby Training Weekend. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Chile: Demand for Soap Tree Vaccines Triggers Threats to Soap Tree |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Chile: Demand for Soap Tree Vaccines Triggers Threats to Soap Tree Study Article |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2026 |
| URL | https://es.mongabay.com/2026/01/chile-demanda-vacunas-arbol-jabon-dispara-amenazas/ |
| Description | Community College Field Biology Alliance talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited plenary speaker to discuss research and disability with community college (early undergraduate) students as part of their research symposium. Students reported feeling more confident in career choices by seeing me as a role model and I spoke with several of them privately afterwards online as a mentor. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ccfieldbiologyalliance.org/2024-research-symposium.html |
| Description | Conference Participant SynBITECH: Company Reviews and Panel Discussion: Women in SynBio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Conference Participant SynBITECH: Company Reviews and Panel Discussion: Women in SynBio, Panel discussions |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Conference Poster - Circadian regulation of rhizosphere interactions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Conference Poster presented at the UK Clock Club in Cambridge on 6 October 2023. The poster explores the topic of the circadian regulation of specialized metabolism. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Cracking Natures Code, Engineering Biology (House Magazine) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Content in magazine following an interview, which is targeted at the Houses of Parliament. Article Title: "Cracking Natures Code" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Crop rhizosphere Meeting - Nanjing China |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation to Chinese academics - Improving crop nitrogen use efficiency - targeting the root/soil interface |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Defra produced video on Twitter on genome editing and spoke to Defra Food and Farming Minister, Mark Spencer MP |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Defra produced video on Twitter on genome editing and spoke to Defra Food and Farming Minister, Mark Spencer MP |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Defra visit with session on nutrition/biofortification |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participated in a visit from DEFRA to the JIC field station, where we demonstrated our work on improving the nutritional quality of wheat and potato. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Discussion with Counsellor Kay Mason Billig - Leader of Norfolk County Council |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Visit to discuss site development |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Engagement with Industry - Brown & Co visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Brown and Co have a large agricultural client base, mainly the farming community. We presented to their consultants on research can bring to their clients. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Engagement with Industry - Brown & Co visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Brown and Co have a large agricultural client base, mainly the farming community. We presented to their consultants on research can bring to their clients. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Engagement with Industry - Project Update Meeting with Syngenta |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Limonoid Project update meeting with Syngenta, held on zoom in March 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | External panel for the evaluation of the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | FSA Visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Met with FSA and guided a visit to grass peas in glasshouse and discussion with Cathie on her pro-vit D in tomatoes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://nbicloud.sharepoint.com/sites/JICNews/SitePages/JIC-informs-Food-Standards-Agency-plans-for-... |
| Description | FSA consultation on a new framework for assessing precision bred foods and feeds |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Inputted into the FSA consultation on a new framework for assessing precision bred foods and feeds in January 2024. Outcome and impact: In September of 2024 Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner announced that the government will pass secondary legislation required to unlock the benefits of the Precision Breeding Act as soon as parliamentary time allows at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London, citing research trials already underway including tomatoes with high levels of vitamin D. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | FSA guided a visit to grass peas in glasshouse and discussion on pro-vit D in tomatoes. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Met with FSA and guided a visit to grass peas in glasshouse and a discussion with Cathie on her work on pro-vit D in tomatoes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Fed into written consultation by ARIA on Programmable Plants through internal working group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participated in an internal working group that prepared a written consultation for the ARIA Programmable Plants program. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Field Inclusive Week 2025 workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Led a workshop with two other experts on field experiences for disabled individuals. Approximately 60 attendees completed exercises and reported more comfort with inclusion of disabled individuals in field experiences as well as practical takeaways they could use in their own work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.fieldinclusive.org/field-inclusive-week-2025/ |
| Description | Find My Futures |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | An event organised by JIC and UEA to raise awareness of science as a career to secondary school children. Participated in meet a STEM professional which raises awareness of the range of jobs on offer in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Find My Futures -Informal discussions with year 8 students on careers 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Participated as part of a group of scientists, discussing with around 200 year 8 students, potential job opportunities and experiences of working as a scientist and programme manager for institute strategic programmes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Frontier Agriculture visit to JIC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Frontier brought a group of 15 junior agronomists to hear about the latest science and build relationships with JIC. This led to delivering a presentation at the Eastern Area Conference in 2024 on our science relevant to farming and agronomy and genome editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Frontier brought a group of 15 junior agronomists to hear about the latest science and build relationships with JIC. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Offers of help to grow various crops and trials on sites managed by Frontier for trialing Nitrogen sensors etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | GEN Article on Vaccine Adjuvant QS21 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | See article |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.genengnews.com/topics/bioprocessing/vaccine-adjuvant-qs-21-produced-in-tobacco/ |
| Description | Guest lecture on fieldwork and disability inclusion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Gave a guest lecture to Wake Forest University undergraduate students taking a Field Biology and Natural History undergraduate course. Students felt more confident after the lecture and associated activity in how to work collaboratively with individuals of diverse abilities in the field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Hosted school visit to our institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We worked with the Country Trust to host a group of children from a local Primary school to visit the John Innes Centre to do some experiments in the training lab on natural products. The children were very excited to come into the lab and enjoyed wearing lab coats and goggles and using real science equipment. We had lots of PhD students help with the activity and the children liked chatting to them about what it's like to be a scientist. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | HotHouse launches to remix plant compound biosynthesis for pharma |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://cen.acs.org/business/start-ups/HotHouse-launches-remix-plant-compound/103/web/2025/12 |
| Description | Interview with The House Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed for The Hot House Magazine about work with HotHouse Therapeutics in an article about Engineering Biology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://library.myebook.com/thehouse/house-supplement-focus-on-dsit-house-1760/5275/#page/28 |
| Description | Interview with The Observer |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Interviewed by Symiah Barnett from POST to feed into an upcoming POST Note on the impacts and costs of synthetic fertilisers. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed by Symiah Barnett from POST on 5 October to feed into an upcoming POST Note on the impacts and costs of synthetic fertilisers. Parliamentary briefing (POST note) - later on January 2024 - The future of fertiliser - was published. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited Panel Member - External Review for the RIKEN Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited panel member as part of the external review panel for the RIKEN Institute, Advisory Council of RIKEN CSRS in Yokohama in August 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | JIC Press Release by JIC Comms "Unlocking the Power of Peas: Genetic discovery promises high-iron vegetables and cereals" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Press release was picked up by 11 media outlets. This gave an online reach of 15.5 million people. The news story was then featured in BBC Radio 4 Farming Today which reaches 1.6m listeners each week |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/unlocking-the-power-of-peas-genetic-discovery-promises-high-iron-vegetabl... |
| Description | JIC Press Release on US launch of GM purple tomato seeds |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | JIC press release on the sale in the US of high anthocyanin purple tomato seeds was picked up by 142 national and international media outlets with an online reach of 84.1 million people and and a reach o 39000 by print media. An additional 49m were reached by ITV.com after the story feature on ITV in the UK. This was picked by ITV giving a reach of 1.8bln people reached online (ITV/MSN) 78,000 people reached by print media |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/us-gardeners-rush-to-snap-up-purple-tomatoes-pioneered-in-norfolk/ |
| Description | Keynote presentation at PAG32, San Diego |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote seminar: "Healthy plants; healthy people - fortifying vitamins and phytonutrients in tomato" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Lecture on inclusion of disability in biosciences (University of Exeter Penryn) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited to give a public lecture and panel Q&A for the University of Exeter Penryn Inclusivity Matters! seminar series covering disability inclusion in biosciences. Approximately 80 postgraduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff attended and asked questions and were engaged. Attendees asked many questions and attitudes about disability changed in a positive manner. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/inclusion/nep/projects/inclusivitymatters/ |
| Description | Lecture on inclusion of disability in biosciences (University of Guelph, Canada) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited to give a public lecture in person for the University of Guelph, Canada covering disability inclusion as the inaugural speaker of the College of Biological Science Community Seminar Series. Approximately 70 postgraduate and undergraduate students and faculty as well as university administrators attended. Attendees asked many questions and attitudes about disability changed in a positive manner. Written up blog post here: https://liveworkwell.ca/news/2024/01/navigating-nature-and-academia-disabled-scientist-talk-dr-kelsey-byers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.uoguelph.ca/cbs/events/2023/12/disabled-field-navigating-nature-and-academia-disabled-sc... |
| Description | London International Youth Science Forum visit to JIC (MN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | London International Youth Science Forum visit to JIC; pupils engaged with a member of the research team to discuss science and careers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Magazine Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Journalist writing a piece about the Department for science, innovation and technology's vision for engineering biology, for House Magazine. Focusing on the vision and the government's aspirations for the field. Particular interest in way work is becoming increasingly important to medicine. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Meeting with Dales Land Net company |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Visit by Neale Hall from Dales Land Net company, Discuss collaboration to integrate moisture and nitrate soil sensors. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Meeting with PEST technologies |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with PES Technologies (Company based in Diss Norfolk). Soil health 'sniffer' test kit sold to farmers. Discuss potential for future collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Meeting with SenEye Company to discuss novel environmental sensors for ammonium. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting to discuss collaboration potential with Matt Stevenson (Seneye company). Novel environmental sensors for ammonium. Based on our nitrate sensor technology (PlentySense). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Member of Group - UKRI BBSRC Biological Diversity Working Group Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Biological Diversity Working Group in person and on zoom held on 23rd November 2023. Included 5 minute presentation on perspectives on biological diversity (including own research and wider opportunities, trends and drivers relating to biological diversity) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Morley Innovation Day 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussed our research on oilseed rape yield stability, Plenty Sense soil nitrogen sensors for optimising crop nitrogen applications, volatile production in oilseed rape and the potential to influence pollination/allergies and genome editing as a tool for developing new crops. Participants were farmers, agronomists and research organisations specialising in crop development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Morley Innovation Day 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussing ongoing research and research findings with farmers and local agri-businesses at the 2024 Morley Innovation Day |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Nat History Museum presentation (MN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Nat History Museum presentation for their Explorers Programme as part of Black History Month, talking about "Lets talk about scent" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | New Phytologist Workshop: Introducing Transformative Plant Biotechnology Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave an interview introducing transformative plant biotechnology. Recorded during the workshop at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh in 2023. Published on YouTube in January 2024. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XrjN3Ye1XA |
| Description | News Article on QS-21 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | See article |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/the-chilean-tree-that-could-cure-malar... |
| Description | Norfolk Heritage Day talks (2 days; MN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave talks over two days for Norfolk Heritage Days at JIC. Audience reported interest in floral scent and pollination research and provided valuable feedback on content. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/blog/lets-talk-about-scent/ |
| Description | Norfolk Wildlife Trust public talk on pollination |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Wymondham chapter about pollination and insect conservation. Approximately 50 attendees who reported desires to change land management practices in their own gardens, as well as multiple invitations to give the same talk or similar science outreach at schools and other groups in the region. Encouraged to give the same talk publicly on Youtube. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Norwich Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Norwich Science Festival; interacting with the general public, Making Molecules |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Norwich scientists chosen for 'food of the future' projects |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/25310980.norwich-scientists-chosen-food-future-projects/ |
| Description | Novozymes Prize Lecture - From plant defence to therapeutics: The metabolic poetry of science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | From plant defence to therapeutics: The metabolic poetry of science - Anne Osbourn presented the 2023 Novozymes Prize Lecture at John Innes Centre on Monday 12 June 2023 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | On-line discussion with Dyson Farm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions on how we could work together and our areas of research expertise. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Oral Presentation - "Finding Drugs in the garden: Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for therapeutic applications" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation "Finding Drugs in the garden: Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for therapeutic applications" given at the New Phytologist Transformative Plant Biotechnology Workshop in Edinburgh on 20 September 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Oral Presentation - "Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for food and health applications" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | High Value Biorenewables Annual Meeting, 14-15 November 2023 in Manchester. Oral Presentation - "Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for food and health applications" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Out Thinkers 2025 Norwich Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 25-30 attendees from the general public and research groups attended "Out Thinkers" at the Norwich Science Festival to celebrate and learn from LGBTQIA+ scientists about their research and life experiences and careers; I was one of four invited speakers. Multiple individuals reached out afterwards asking me to appear on podcasts around gender and disability in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/out-thinkers-celebrating-lgbtq-in-stem |
| Description | PGCE training workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We ran training session for PGCE students studying science specialism at the University of East Anglia to give them practical ideas and resources to implement science-based learning in their classrooms when they become qualified teachers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Paclitaxel saved my life. New discoveries could boost supply Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed by Christine Dell'Amore of Chemical & Engineering News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2026 |
| URL | https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/drug-development/Paclitaxel-saved-life-New-discoveries/104/web/2... |
| Description | Panel Member (as a Scientist) for a book Launch 'Looking for Lucie' by Author Amanda Addison (Waterstones Norwich) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Attended Book Launch of "Looking for Lucie" by Amanda Addison discussing themes from the novel (such as DNA, genetics, and the way art and photography shape our identity) with the Author and photographer and lecturer Erin Patel |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Panel Member - UKRI Connect Transforming Tomorrow Together Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Panel Member at UKRI Connect Transforming Tomorrow Together Event held on 20th October 2023. Aim of event was to showcase and discuss the local impacts of research and innovation, and how innovation in funding approaches can help facilitate this, consisted of two panels. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation in JIC Breeders Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 60-70 representatives from breeding companies visited the institute's field station, where we demonstrated our work to improve wheat and potato starch quality. Several breeders expressed interest, and has led to continued engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Podcast: Why the new era of life-saving drugs starts with plants |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JREVyNQdkR90iOtAcKQm7 |
| Description | Policy round table to discuss future policy plans with partners from across the park and the FSA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Joined a policy round table to discuss future policy plans with partners from across the park and the FSA at JIC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presented to a cohort of new PhD students about the importance of public engagement and the role they can play in global citizenship as scientists. A range of examples were shown to demonstrate the different audiences and approaches that can be taken that enable all researchers to play a part in these activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation - "A million shades of green: understanding and harnessing plant metabolic diversity" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | "Using Bioinformatics to Guide Engineering Strategies in Crops" Masterclass (held Virtually). Audience mix of Research Scientists, plant breeders and agronomists (including some industry partners) from all over the world. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation at PCGIN |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof Andrew Lovett presented results of research on the influence of climate, environmental variables and economics on cereal and break crop growth in the UK to DEFRA PCGin. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Presentation at Royal College of Physicians: "Finding drugs in the garden: harnessing plant metabolic diversity for therapeutic applications" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave a presentation to Royal College of Physicians at their Medicinal Plant Lectures: July 2024, RCP at Regent's Park, London UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation for Education in Action (MN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the birds and the bees for Education in Action |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation on HotHouse Therapeutics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented HotHouse Therapeutics at plenary event at the UKRI Connect Stakeholder engagement event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation to Norfolk Landscapes Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Over 400 landowners, farmers, researchers and conservationists at a conference for discussion on complexities, uncertainties and opportunities of Norfolk's future land management and nature recovery strategy Prof Lovett presented on key challenges for farmers and improving the management of agrochemicals and widening crop rotations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://norfolkfwag.co.uk/norfolk-landscapes-conference/ |
| Description | Presented to DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation & Technology) on Engineering Biology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | - |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Press Article - Learning how plants make limonoids |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Learning how plants make limonoids - Article by Bethany Halford. Chemical & Engineering News (ISSN 0009-2347), 30 January 2023 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/natural-products/Learning-plants-make-limonoids/101/web/202... |
| Description | Press Article - Plants can make chemicals for bee-friendly insecticides |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Plants can make chemicals for bee-friendly insecticides - Article by Margaret Evans in the Western Producer, published 9 March 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.producer.com/news/plants-can-make-chemicals-for-bee-friendly-insecticides/ |
| Description | Press Release: Increased funding for sustainable pulse crops in UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | 21 stories in national and international media 21m monthly visits online 64,000 people reached by print media Farmers Guardian/EDP |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/press-release/increased-funding-for-sustainable-pulse-crops-in-the-uk/ |
| Description | Press release by JIC Comms "Starch Discovery reaps rewards for brewing, baking and milling industries" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Press release was picked up by 29 media outlets and had an online reach of 30.2 million people. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/starch-discovery-reaps-benefits-for-brewing-baking-and-milling-industries... |
| Description | Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network (PCGIN) annual stakeholder meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Pulse Breeders Workshop meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School Science Art and Writing (SAW) project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We made 3 visits to our closest junior school to deliver plant natural product themed Science Art and Writing workshops for year 4 and 5 children. They learned about the amazing chemical diversity in plants, their uses and how scientists are studying them. They did their own chemical extractions and wrote poetry and produced art. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School Science Art and Writing (SAW) project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We put on a 2 day Science Art and Writing Project for 60 children to inspire them about biology with hands-on activities including microscopy and extended learning through science-themed poetry and art sessions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School Science Art and Writing (SAW) project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A group of scientists, artists and writers visited a rural Primary school to deliver an assembly and then a day of workshops that looked at plant diversity and relationships with microbes in the rhizosphere. Children participated in practical science activities including surveying their school grounds and taking samples of cereal and legume plants, observing root nodules on clover plants under microscopes, making soil bacteria plates and learning about symbiosis. They wrote poetry and produced art work based on the science topics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School Science Art and Writing (SAW) project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We developed and ran a plant stress response workshop for primary schools that showed children how plants have evolved different mechanisms to tolerate stressful environments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School Science Art and Writing Project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of plant pathogens. The children were able to explore their own school grounds to search for evidence of pathogenic microbes by gathering diseased leaf samples that were observed under microscopes. The class also made leaf pressings onto agar plates to grow microbes living in their environment and learned about plant defense responses to invading pathogens. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | School Visit (Cambourne) - SAW Trust |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 2 day hands-on SAW workshop for year 6 children at a Primary school in Cambourne. Aim to inspire and inform school children - there were 4 science activity stations followed by a creative writing activity and art activity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School visit (Benyon Primary School) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Careers Day primary school visit (virtual) organized through the Primary Science Teaching Trust. Year 6 students had a career pathway talk and brief science discussion with myself as speaker and were able to ask questions about how to become a scientist. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Schools Q&A virtual visit (Greenwood Primary and Nursery School, Nottingham) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Virtual Q&A visit to Greenwood Primary and Nursery School in Nottinghamshire to answer questions from Year 3 students about plant sciences and how they can become involved in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Schools visit and farm day, Bawburgh School (Bawburgh, Norfolk) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Two separate events with Bawburgh School. Visited the school and led six classrooms (ca. 15 students each plus staff, Reception to Year 5) on pollinator observations in a nearby meadow and the school classrooms. Students also visited the JIC Church Farm experimental station and learned more about pollination and floral structure and smell on a second day. Students expressed interest in the subject and asked questions about how to become scientists. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Sci Comm East Conference Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Ran a Science Art and Writing workshop at Sci Comm East Conference for people interested in creative approaches to public engagement. The participants worked through a plant natural product activity to learn how to use science topics to explore real research and then extend learning through creative writing and art. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Activity Book |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We produced a science activity story book for children that encourages them to explore their local environment and carry out scientific investigations to build confidence as independent learners. The books were printed and sent out for free to 4000 school children across the County and shared with community organisations and food banks to reach as many families as possible. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of natural products from plants. The children explored the diversity of natural products and had a go at extracting colour pigments from a variety of flowers and used acid/base reactions to identify chemicals. Then they learned about adjuvants and which plants provide sources of these. We looked at soapwort plants and the children had a go at making foam bubbles using plant extracts. Then we introduced the story of the soapbark tree, the importance of the adjuvant QS21 for better vaccines and how scientists are replicating this molecule to try and protect the trees. In the final activity the children worked in groups and used molymod to build a range of triterpenes. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Infant school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of microbes. The children explored the categories that make things defined as 'living' and were then presented with some dried bakers yeast and a fresh block of yeast and tasked to find out if it was alive. Using sugar as food, warmth and water they set up experiments to test this and were amazed to see the yeast changing and growing before their eyes! They found out that yeast also respires as they captured carbon dioxide from the yeast to inflate balloons and then they worked in groups to utilise the yeast to make crumpets which the teachers cooked and the children enjoyed with butter and jam! They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities, including printing with paint and crumpets. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of the plant rhizosphere. The children explored the plant diversity in their school grounds and looked for leguminous plants to dig up. They washed roots of grass and clover plants and then used microscopes to look for root nodules. Using stained cells they learned about the symbiotic relationship that plants have with microbes in the soil that enable them to access nutrients more effectively. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of natural products from nature. The children explored the diversity of microbes in the environment and the chemicals they make. Using role play to understand how these chemicals enable microbes to 'communicate' when forming colonies or competing for resources, they enjoyed becoming microbes and using chemical cue's to act out different scenarios. The class then learned about useful chemicals made by microbes in the soil and played a card game to build a compound that is a potential new antibiotic. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of natural products from plants. The children explored the diversity of natural products and had a go at extracting colour pigments from a variety of flowers and used acid/base reactions to identify chemicals. Then they learned about inflammation in our bodies and how some medicines have been developed to target this. We looked at boswellic acid which is extracted from frankincense trees and is a potent anti-inflammatory drug and passed around some frankincense for the children to feel and smell. The final experiment gave the children a mock ELISA assay plate and a selection of plant extract samples which they had to test for activity as anti-inflammatories. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Art and Writing Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We visited a local Primary school to run a Science Art and Writing Project on the theme of microbes. The children explored the scale of microbes and the places in which they live. They found out that microbes make lots of important chemicals that humans rely on. They were given labcoats and mini lab books and rotated around 4 different activity stations, including chromatography, soil plating & microscopy to earn stickers for their books. They further explored the concepts and new vocabulary though poetry writing and visual art activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science Communication Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Ran a science outreach workshop as part of the University of East Anglia's Science Communication module. Students were first encouraged to think about why sci comm is important and who the various audiences are. We worked through some example activities to show how complicated concepts can be broken down to make them accessible to a non-science audience and we also explored cross-disciplinary approaches to science outreach and the benefits seen by giving people different ways to explore science topics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A school group made a visit to the Norwich Research Park and we were asked to run a hands-on science activity for the children. We taught the children about how plants are the source of a wonderful array of useful chemicals and then helped them do some extractions from a selection of different plants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science activity stand |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Delivered an activity stand at Latitude Festival that showed how and why scientists record and monitor biodiversity. We used examples from a range of species to show how research projects are making an impact on protecting and seeking to reverse declines in biodiversity. We also showed the benefits that species bring to humans in terms of chemicals, materials, food and environmental services and benefits to our well being. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science, Art and Poetry activity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Delegates at the Anne Osbourn Novozymes Prize Symposium held at the John Innes Centre on Sep 9th and 10th 2024 participated in plant natural product-themed art and poetry activities run by the SAW Trust, during the refreshment and poster sessions. Colour pigments, ice cubes and diffusion were used to create flower-like patterns that were added to a display that grew over the course of the event and acrostic poems using key words related to the research topics were generated by people each adding a line. These were performed during the closing remarks of the event as a collaborative piece. The activities created an opportunity for delegates to work together, create and play which fostered an atmosphere for relaxed dialogue and a chance to consider novel approaches to science communication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://sawtrust.org/ |
| Description | Seminar - "Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for food and health applications" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar given at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology - Title: "Harnessing plant metabolic diversity for food and health applications" on 22nd February 2024 as part of a wider visit to the Center. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Seminar presentation at Keystone Symposia: Future of Agriculture for Sustainability/Genetic Engineering for a Sustainable Future |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar: "Healthy plants; healthy people - fortifying vitamins and phytonutrients in tomato" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Through the Microscope workshop with Edible East and Gressinghall Farm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Exploring ways to present our research, relevant to agriculture through artistic media |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Took part in a roundtable on transforming food systems at the UKRI Connect stakeholder engagement event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Took part in a roundtable on transforming food systems at the UKRI Connect stakeholder engagement event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Transforming Tomorrow Together Event Panel Member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attended UKRI Connect Transforming Tomorrow Together Event as a panel member. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Transforming our future: Engineering Biology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Co-organised by Anne Osbourn. This meeting explored what is needed to realise the full potential of the UK's engineering biology sector. It brought together speakers from industry, academia and government to discuss how the UK can maintain and enhance its position as a global leader in this sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2025/01/engineering-biology/ |
| Description | Video for Neurodiversity celebration week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed about neurodivergence and my career for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 in a video put together by the JIC Comms Team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG1-oRKqgeg |
| Description | Visit by Dr Janet Talling, Head of Genetic Technologies at Defra. Discussed precision breeding strategy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in Dr Janet Talling, Head of Genetic Technologies at Defra visited. Discussed precision breeding strategy and influenced policy. Outcome and impact: Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner announced that the government will pass secondary legislation required to unlock the benefits of the Precision Breeding Act as soon as parliamentary time allows at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London, citing research trials already underway including tomatoes with high levels of vitamin D. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Visit by Novo Nordisk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | TBC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit to Centre of the Cell, London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | To discuss approaches to engagement and inform our outreach and engagement work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Year 10 Accessible Science Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | About 15 Year 10 students attended my Accessible Science Talk where I discussed my research in detailed but accessible terms after they had completed several days' placement at JIC. The students appreciated the talk and asked good questions and seemed excited to see how their research day placements translated into science careers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |