
Biography
I joined Patron group at Earlham Institute in mid-April 2018; working towards sustainable bioproduction of insect pheromones in plants.
Plants are ingenious autonomous machines that are vital for our existence. With the advancements in genomics not only we can elucidate their regulatory mechanisms but can tune them to function as bio-factories. In my current project, I apply synthetic biology to rewire the genetic architecture of plants to produce insect pheromone molecules. Our aim is to turn these plant pheromone factories as a sustainable platform for biomolecule production and reduce the chemical footprint on our planet.
Prior to this, I worked on ‘stress induced nitrate allocation in plants’ with Prof Dale Sanders and Prof Tony Miller at JIC. During my PhD, I worked on colourful plant secondary metabolites ‘anthocyanins’ with Prof Cathie Martin at JIC. I contributed to an understanding of anthocyanic vacuolar inclusion formation in plants. I engineered novel anthocyanins in tobacco that can be commercially used as standards and natural food colourants. I also developed a pipeline for high anthocyanin production derived from tobacco callus cultures.
I am interested in understanding the regulatory mechanisms and pathways of unknown secondary metabolites and their application via synthetic biology.
Publications
Related reading.

Single cells offering limitless potential

Cellular Genomics: understanding why being different is normal

Bananas are on the brink but close cousins could save their skins

Cultural differences: how analysing mixed communities of microorganisms could help us understand AMR

Memories of sequencing the human genome to mark seven decades of DNA

Hidden jewels in our blood could hold secrets of healthy ageing

Differences make a difference: from one cell to a world of individuality

Engineered plants produce sex perfume to trick pests and replace pesticides

Human body a breeding ground for antimicrobial resistance genes

Key tilapia genome offers boost to global food security

Exotic wheat DNA could help breed ‘climate-proof’ crops

Sequencing project to unleash the huge potential of euglenoids

Circadian clock insights could be key to increased wheat yields

European consortium launched to reverse biodiversity loss through genomics research
