Carolina Grandellis

I joined the Earlham Institute in 2022 as Head of the Earlham Biofoundry. In this role, I provide strategic leadership for the Biofoundry and contribute to the Institute’s wider Engineering Biology strategy. 

I am a plant molecular biologist and engineering biology specialist interested in how genetic, molecular, and automated design principles can be applied to accelerate innovation in crop improvement and biological research.

I obtained my PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Buenos Aires, where my research centred on molecular genetics and potato plant development. I subsequently joined the biotech company BIOCERES–INDEAR, gaining industry experience in plant transformation, tissue culture, embryo rescue, and double-haploid technologies. 

Before moving to the Earlham Institute, I worked with the 2Blades Group at The Sainsbury Laboratory on the Norwich Research Park, where I led translational research programmes with industry partners to identify and deploy durable disease-resistance genes in crops.

My group applies automation and synthetic biology to develop high-throughput DNA assembly, screening, and molecular engineering workflows that support both academic discovery and industrial translation. This includes developing scalable assays for gene function, barcoded libraries, and automated pipelines supporting precision engineering of plant traits.

A key part of my work is promoting Engineering Biology and the Biofoundry externally, through training programmes, industry partnerships, public engagement, and contributions to national strategy development. My career is driven by the goal of connecting fundamental science, technological innovation, and real-world application to deliver impactful, sustainable solutions for the broader engineering biology community.