Peter Barham, 1926-2011

I am sorry to announce the recent death of Peter Barham on Sunday 23 January 2011. Peter started work at 14 years of age in the then Botany School in 1941 in the Plant Physiology section. After a period of National Service Peter graduated to Senior Technician. In 1965 together with Tom ap Rees Peter was instrumental in organizing the first Biology of Cells practicals which were held in the Elementary Lab (Teaching Lab) before being transferred to Zoology. In his time in Plant Physiology Peter trained many technicians, three of whom have remained in the department for the last forty years.

In 1971 Peter was promoted to Chief Technician, a post he held until his retirement in 1989. Peter’s funeral will be held at the Cambridge Crematorium West Chapel at 11-15AM on Friday 4th February 2011.

Glyn Jones

Seeding growth: plant sciences

An article from Research Horizons Magazine:

The study of plants is blossoming in Cambridge, with new facilities, new research and soon a major new institute.

Increasingly, plants are recognised as being at the heart of sustainable solutions to many global concerns, whether it’s the need to secure food supplies, develop biofuels or tackle environmental issues. ‘Plant-related research is now much more prominent as a result of this new awareness,’ said Professor Sir David Baulcombe, Head of the Department of Plant Sciences and first incumbent of the newly created Regius Professorship of Botany. ‘We want to be in a position in Cambridge to step up to the mark and generate the understanding and applications needed to meet these challenges.’

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