All the latest news about our research. Karen Halliday and Steven Spoel become Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Professors Karen Halliday and Steven Spoel have been named as Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh within the 2023 cohort. How the Dandelion decides when to fly The dandelions – famous for their fluffy seed carrying parachutes, provide food for birds and pollinator insects, including bees. They are also known for their impressive capability to extend habitats. CRISPR insight could improve technique and biotechnology applications The discovery that the CRISPR gene editing process differs between human and algae cells could lead to improvements in the technique and boost production of useful products made from algae and plants. Blog - A Spotlight On Dr Sandy Hetherington Helen Foerd (final year PhD student) sat down with our new IMPS member, Dr Sandy Hetherington to discuss the mysterious world of fossilised plants and scientific life. Blog - Tiny but mighty: Algae hold the secret to turbo-charging photosynthesis in plants. Researchers reveal the mechanism that forms the pyrenoid, an enigmatic compartment used by algae to boost photosynthesis, and then go a step further by engineering a synthetic version into a higher plant for the first time. School researchers awarded Chancellor’s Fellowships Dr Beatriz Orosa Puente and Dr Joanna Sadler have been awarded prestigious fellowships to develop their innovative work. Algae superpowers could provide major boost to food security The yields of vital food crops such as rice, wheat and soybean could be improved by equipping plants with proteins from algae to enhance their growth. High-value chemicals from biotech: School scientists awarded almost half a million pounds in UK Government funding Pioneering researchers in the School of Biological Sciences will benefit from a £477,015 cash boost from the UK government to use cutting edge biotechnology to produce high-value chemicals. Food security boost as data gets to root of crop yields problem The resilience and yields of food crops worldwide could be improved by a new technique that monitors the growth of plant roots, scientists say. Sandy Hetherington awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Sandy Hetherington, an evolutionary biologist, is the recipient of a UK government fellowship that supports early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential. This article was published on 2024-06-17