Green Engineering - knowledge-based delivery of sustainable products in plants. Engineering Sustainable Phenolics
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
WP3 aims to exploit the naturally high content of soluble phenolic glycosides (PGs) in short rotation coppice (SRC) willow to extend the value chains of this UK biomass crop developing products of relevance to pharmaceutical and industrial sectors. We will utilise knowledge and resources from the previous Tailoring Plant Metabolism ISPG to position SRC willow as a vehicle for the ‘green’ production of bio-phenolics for industrial use with a particular emphasis on optimisation of yield and the relative ratio of differentially substituted phenols for biopolymer products. We will also further develop our work on bioactive leads for pharma and agriculture. To achieve these goals WP3 will complete the functional assignment of the enzymes of the novel biosynthetic pathway to salicortin as well as those genes responsible for the 14 phenolic glycosides via functional analysis in poplar (GE and over-expression) heterologous expression in yeast and E. coli to provide biochemical data as well as access to commercially unavailable substrates. Multiplex expression of plant pathway genes will allow the study of small metabolons that appear in planta to co-ordinately process pathway molecules through unstable intermediates to stable end products. In willow and poplar we aim to understand the relationship between the PG pathway and connected pathways specifically phenylalanine (Phe)/tyrosine (Tyr) metabolism (i.e. shikimate flavonoid and lignin). WP3 also addresses the fundamental principles of hybridisation in willow which in combination with metabolic engineering in poplar will allow us to predictively breed for chemistry and incorporate new germplasm into the established willow crop improvement programme. Thus a new generation of engineered plants optimised for maximum biomass and carbon capture into specific phenols for pharma agritech and industrial uses will be realised.
Planned Impact
unavailable
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jane Ward (Principal Investigator) | |
| Steve Hanley (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Khozov AA
(2023)
A study on L-threonine and L-serine uptake in Escherichia coli K-12.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Kisiriko M
(2025)
The untargeted metabolomic analysis of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur. seeds reveals previously undescribed polar lignans and terpenoids
in Phytochemistry Letters
Kisiriko M
(2024)
The First Comprehensive Chemical Profiling of Vachellia gummifera (Willd.) Kyal. & Boatwr., a Plant with Medicinal Value.
in Chemistry & biodiversity
Noleto-Dias C
(2023)
Metabolomics characterizes early metabolic changes and markers of tolerant Eucalyptus ssp. clones against drought stress.
in Phytochemistry
Noleto-Dias C
(2024)
A multiplex approach of MS, 1D-, and 2D-NMR metabolomics in plant ontogeny: A case study on Clusia minor L. organs (leaf, flower, fruit, and seed).
in Phytochemical analysis : PCA
Taratynova M
(2024)
New pAraDH2 Promoter for Metabolic Engineering of the Yarrowia lipolytica Yeast
in Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology
Taratynova MO
(2024)
Boosting Geranyl Diphosphate Synthesis for Linalool Production in Engineered Yarrowia lipolytica.
in Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
Yuzbashev TV
(2023)
A DNA assembly toolkit to unlock the CRISPR/Cas9 potential for metabolic engineering.
in Communications biology
| Description | Climate Change Committee on Engineered removals in the UK 7th Carbon Budget |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Discussion with DEFRA - Energy Forestry, Commercial Forestry, Wood Products, and Carbon Team |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Discussion with Energy Forestry Team within Defra. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Participation in Defra Forestry Innovation: Stakeholder Workshop |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Presentation to civil service Faststream early career civil servants |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Visit from DEFRA Trees |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | invitation to Defra Plant Health R&D Stakeholder Forum |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | ACDC: Advanced Crop Dynamic Control for sustainable leaf protein production in vertical farms |
| Amount | £82,984 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | TS/Y006720/1 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 10/2025 |
| Description | InViDA: Exploiting Cas12a for scarless conjugation-based in vivo DNA assembly technology |
| Amount | £224,788 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 10/2026 |
| Description | RRes Early Career Researchers Training Fund - David Zuluaga Parra |
| Amount | £700 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 06/2023 |
| Description | RRes Early Career Researchers Training Fund -Clarice Noleto-Dias |
| Amount | £709 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | RRes Early Career Researchers Training Fund -Clarice Noleto-Dias |
| Amount | £834 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 06/2023 |
| Description | RRes International Institutional Partnership Award - Jane Ward. REWIND- Realising Willow Inhibitors for Neurodegenrative Diseases |
| Amount | £19,970 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 06/2024 |
| Title | Development of isotopomer analysis in poplar |
| Description | Via the use of very high resolution mass spectrometry we have developed a workflow to track 18O metabolism in poplar plantlets. The methodology is helping determine metabolic provenance and biosynthesis of key phenolics in GreEn. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Data being drafted for preliminary publication. Methods will be applicable to other gene edited plants. |
| Title | Development of methodologies for larger scale extraction and drying of plant biomass |
| Description | Within the TPM strategic programme we have investigated the extraction and characterisation of numerous phenolic glycosides. Methods have now been developed to move beyond the analytical stage with a view towards translation. Methods have therefore been developed to generate aqueous extracts from willow biomass chip at lab scale. Crucially we have employed new equipment to remove water more quickly from the extracts, thus preserving the chemical composition and providing materials for onward testing. Similar protocols have also been employed at the farm scale. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | New methods will help us to transition our research towards commercialisation |
| Title | Development of methods for the creation of biopolymers from willow biomass |
| Description | Procedures have been developed to create both resole and novolac resins. These are the most relevant phenol containing polymers. Methods are in place to obtain crude phenol mixes direct from willow biomass chips and procedures to utilise these in polymer generation reactions are being investigated. The first proof of concept materials have now been generated. Using new equipment, we will be able to determine thermal properties of the biopolymers and make direct comparisons to fully synthetic counterparts. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The ability to generate polymeric materials from willow biomass opens the door to a new series of renewable polymers with potential commercial application. Use of the national willow collection and the RRes breeding pipeline will enable germplasm to be optimised for this product stream in the future. |
| Title | Gene Edited poplar "Line 421" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out gene Potri.001Gxxx through CRISPR/Cas9. Construct pYLCRISPR_Flav1 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Supporting strategic research in elucidation of salicinoid biosynthesis |
| Title | Gene Edited poplar "Line 451" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out genes Potri.018Gxxx and Potri.006Gxxx through CRISPR/Cas9. Construct pYLCRISPR_6G18G_1 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Created to elucidate salicinoid gene function |
| Title | Gene Edited poplar "Line 461" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out genes Potri.018Gxxx and Potri.006Gxxx through CRISPR/Cas9. Construct pYLCRISPR_6G18G_2 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | To elucidate salicinoid gene function |
| Title | Poplar GE Line "Line 422" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out P450 genes Potri.001Gxxx + Potri.003Gxxx through CRISPR/Cas9. Construct pYLCRISPR_Flav3 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Significant in supporting strategic research to help elucidate salicinoid biosynthesis genes |
| Title | Poplar GE Line "Line 431" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out Acetyltransferase family. Multiplex targeting of 8 genes. Construct pYLCRISPR_ATfam |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Key resources to support strategic research in salicinoid biosynthesis pathway |
| Title | Poplar GE line "Line 441" |
| Description | Poplar genome edited lines to knock out gene Potri.003xxx through CRISPR/Cas9.Construct pYLCRISPR_Flav2 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Created to help elucidate role of salicinoid P450s |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S123,S124) ?OYE2?OYE3 ?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G ?IntL::URA3-pTDH-Csy4-pPGK-Cas9 ?GCY1?GRE2?GRE3?YDL124W ?YPR1?YJR096W?ARA1?YPL088W ?AAD3?AAD4?AAD10?AAD14 ?ARI1?YGL039W?YDR541C ?YMR226C?ZTA1?NRE1/IRC24?GOR1 ?YPL113C?YGL185C?BDH1/BDH2 |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2, OYE3, GCY1, GRE2, GRE3, YDL124W, YPR1, YJR096W, ARA1, YPL088W, AAD3, AAD4, AAD10, AAD14, ARI1, YGL039W, YDR541C, YMR226C, ZTA1, NRE1, IRC24, GOR1, YPL113C, YGL185C, BDH1, BDH2 genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, Csy4, and Cas9 genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Removal of yeast background reduction mechanism opens the door for generation of new benzyl analogues using willow and poplar genes. |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S69,S70) ?OYE2?OYE3?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G?IntH::pTDH-2G |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2 and OYE3 genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, and 2G genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Production of novel compound from benzyl salicylate |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S71,S72) ?OYE2?OYE3?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G?IntH::pTDH-14G |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2 and OYE3 genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, and 14G genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Production of novel salicinoid. |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S79,S80) ?OYE2?OYE3?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G?IntH::pTDH-2G-pPGK-666 |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2 and OYE3 genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, 2G, and 666 genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Production of novel compound from benzyl benzoate. Key strain in determining salicinoid biosynthesis step |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S81,S82) ?OYE2?OYE3?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G?IntH::pTDH-2G-pCCW-664-pPGK-666 |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2 and OYE3 genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, 2G, 664 and 666 genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Confirmed steps in salicinoid biosynthesis |
| Title | Yeast Strain - (S86,S87) ?OYE2?OYE3 ?IntU::pTDH-ATR1-pCCW-18G ?IntL::URA3-pTDH-Csy4-pPGK-Cas9 ?GCY1?GRE2?GRE3?YDL124W ?YPR1?YJR096W?ARA1?YPL088W |
| Description | Yeast strain with deleted OYE2, OYE3, GCY1, GRE2, GRE3, YDL124W, YPR1, YJR096W, ARA1, YPL088W genes and overexpressed ATR1, 18G, Csy4, and Cas9 genes |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Clear evidence of novel compound production including new dimeric molecules |
| Title | Salix hybrid 'NWC1059' reference genome data |
| Description | Whole genome sequencing data for Salix hybrid genotype 'NWC1059' using Oxford Nanopore long reads. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | As a parental genome of one of the Rothamsted willow mapping populations, this is a key genome for further analyses within the Green Engineering ISPG. |
| Title | Salix hybrid 'R13' reference genome data |
| Description | Whole genome sequencing data for Salix hybrid genotype 'R13' using Oxford Nanopore long reads. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | As a parental genome of one of the Rothamsted willow mapping populations, this is a key genome for further analyses within the Green Engineering ISPG and other willow projects |
| Title | Salix hybrid 'S3' reference genome data |
| Description | Reference genome sequence data for Salix hybrid 'S3' based on long read Oxford Nanopore data. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | As a parental genome of one of the Rothamsted willow mapping populations, this is a key genome for further analyses within the Green Engineering ISPG and other willow projects |
| Description | Collaboration with Prof. Daniel Otzen, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus Univeristy |
| Organisation | Aarhus University |
| Department | Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNano) |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Methodologies for natural product screening and fractionation of plant extracts, developed with the RRes ISP teams, have been applied to a range of plants to identify inhibitors of protein fibrillation. Annotation of natural products within the extracts has been carried out as has the characterisation of purified fractions. A number of compounds have been suggested to act as inhibitors of alpha-synuclein fibrillation. Extracts have also been prepared from the RRes National Willow Collection for assessment in the alpha-synuclein assays. A number of accessions were shown to be active and the most active accession has now been fractionated. We have identified the most active fraction and a new IIP award will be started in 2024 to retest purified components from this fraction. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners, supplied crude plant extracts from a number of plants for analysis by the RRes team. They also conducted the biological assays associated with fibrillation testing. The partners have also surveyed a panel of willow extracts and have provided activity data suggesting that there are compounds present in willow that inhibit alpha-synuclein and thus may be promising targets for new neuroprotective drugs. In 2024, Dr Clarice Noleto Dias will visit the lab of Prof Otzen for the testing of purified willow compounds in his established assay system. |
| Impact | The collaboration has resulted in four publications so far. In addition we have bioactivity data in hand indicating willow species that contain potential new neuroprotectives. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Collaboration with Prof. Ian Graham, University of York |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Jane Ward has been collaborating with the Graham group to assist in the characterisation of novel natural products using 1D and 2D NMR methodology. She has also assisted in the development of proposals for biosynthetic reaction mechanisms for a number of key compounds. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Graham group have supplied Dr Ward's team with a number of natural products for characterisation. |
| Impact | Data of characterised molecules |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Title | Biobased Novolac Resin (Formaldehyde Free) from willow biomass |
| Description | Two new polymeric materials have been produced using willow biomass alone. These are novolac type resins that have been produced without the use of harmful formaldehyde |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Work has been described at the European Biopolymers congress |
| Title | Copolymer Phenolic Resin with Urea |
| Description | One novel copoylmer has been made with willow biomass co-polymerising with urea. This represents a novel material |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | This resin has been generated without the use of harmful formaldehyde |
| Title | Novel Compounds Characterised from Yeast expressing willow P450s |
| Description | Nine new metabolites have been produced and characterised by NMR. The molecules have been produced in a yeast system following expression of various P450 enzymes and feeding with appropriate aromatic substrates. |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Characterisation of these novel metabolites is essential to understand biosynthetic mechanisms of cytochrome P450 genes in willow and poplar. The expression in yeast has been essential. |
| Title | Novel metabolites from gene edited poplar |
| Description | 24 Benzyl derivatives have now been characterised from gene edited poplar lines where a small family of acyltransferases have been deleted |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | Key insights into benzoate metabolism and salicinoid biosynthesis |
| Title | Novolac Resin (Formaldehyde Free) from Saligenin |
| Description | Generation of new polymeric materials from saligenin without the use of formaldehyde. |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Formaldehyde is harmful. The product demonstrates a process for material generation without the use of harmful chemicals. |
| Title | Novolac resin (formaldehyde free) from D-(-) Salicin |
| Description | Production of prototype polymeric materials from salicin, the major component of willow biomass |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Preliminary work to demonstrate feasibility of producing new polymeric materials from willow biomass extracts. |
| Title | Novolac resin (formaldehyde free) from Gastrodigenin |
| Description | Production of a novel polymeric material without the use of formaldehyde |
| Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Formaldehyde is harmful. This work demonstrates that new materials can be generated without the use of formaldehyde in the process. |
| Description | Annotating the willow metabolome: Salix triandra, Salix cordata and Salix babylonica |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A presentation was made at the Nordic Natural Products Conference in Helsinki. The event took place 14-16 June 2023. Presentation was made by Dr Clarice Noleto Dias. The event allowed us to showcase our research on willow phenolics. Interested parties engaged with Dr Noleto Dias during the meeting. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/nordic-natural-products-conference-2023 |
| Description | Case Studies: GE in tree species |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Sergio Cerezo-Medina gave a presentation entitled Case Studies: GE in tree species at the Rothamsted Gene Editing Symposium |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Discussions with English Cricketbat Willows |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Jane Ward and William Macalpine hosted a visit from English Cricketbat Willows to explore opportunitites for further engagment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Discussions with Industry Stakeholder |
| 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 | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | William Macalpine Discussed SRC willow cultivation with industry stakeholder. Part of Biomass Connect Demo - Biomass Crops for Integrated Land Management. AFBI, Hillsborough Large Park, Hillborough |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Discussions with Innovate UK |
| 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 | Steve Hanley presented work on tree transformation to Innovate UK delegation when visiting Rothamsted |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Discussions with Tom Heap |
| 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 | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | William Macalpine participated in a discussion with Tom Heap regarding his land use book and SRC willow cultivation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Enhancing the woody biomass toolkit in the Salicaceae |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Sergio Cereza-Medina presented a poster describing his research at the Tree Biotech Conference held in Annapolis, MD, USA in August 2024 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Hosting two school groups in the Genomics Laboratory to oversee Oxford Nanopore sequencing project |
| 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 | Around 60 pupils visited the Genomics Laboratory at Rothamsted Research where they loaded sequencing libraries on an Oxford Nanopore sequencer. This was part of a wider school engagement project aiming to use genomic approaches to understand snowdrop genetic diversity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Invited Online Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Clarice Noleto Dias was invited to give an online talk about her professional career as an alumnus at the SENNESA2024. This event was organised by the postgraduate program at the Brazilian institution where Dr Noleto-Dias completed her Masters degree. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Invited presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Steve Hanley has been invited to provide an update on UK biomass willow breeding strategy. This will take place at Biomass and Bioenergy VI at IBERS, Aberystwyth |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Presentation at Plant and Animal Genome Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Steve Hanley and Sergio Cerezo-Medina presented a poster at the Plant and Animal Genome Conference, held in San Diego in January 2025. The title of the poster was Advancing Willow Improvement for the Bioeconomy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Presentation to Students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr David Zuluaga Parra presented his research to a group of students from U. Nottingham. Title of the presentation was Production of Phenolic Resins from Willow Biomass |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Presentation to postgraduate students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr David Zuluaga Parra gave a presentation to the University of Nottingham students as part of their visit to Rothamsted Research. He outlined his current research on renewable polymers from willow biomass. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Radio 4 Interviews for Farming Today |
| 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 | William Macalpine and Prof. Mike Beale gave an interview for Radio 4 (Farming Today) on 100th Anniversary of the National Willow Collection |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science Shed, Latitude Festival 2024 |
| 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 | Clarice Noleto-Dias presented Rothamsted' s work in the 'Science Shed' at the 2024 Latitude Festival, Suffolk in 2024 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Synthesis of phenolic resins from willow biomass molecules |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr David Zuluaga Parra was invited to present his research on the development of new phenolic resins from willow biomass. The event was the European Symposium on Biopolymers and was held in Brno, Czech Republic 13-15 September 2023. The event was a good opportunity for the early career researcher to present his research and his talk stimulated discussion with interested parties. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.esbp2023.com/ |
| Description | Visit by North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative |
| 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 | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Jane Ward was involved in a visit to RRes by Adrian Percy of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative. She participated in discussions and outlined current research in willow biomass phenolics and also metabolomics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit of Mitsui Researchers |
| 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 | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Jane Ward was involved with a visit of researchers from Mitsui. Discussions centred around the use of metabolomics and application for natural products for agriculture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit to Sustainable Biomass Power Plant |
| 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 | William Macalpine visited Western Bio Energy Ltd an 15.8MWh Sustainable Biomass Power Plant in South Wales generating electricity directly to the grid. The plant has an annual fuel input of 160,000 tonnes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |