Beverley Glover awarded the William Bate Hardy Prize

The Council of the Cambridge Philosophical Society unanimously agreed with its nominating committee that Dr Beverley Glover, jointly with Dr Peter Forster, should be awarded the William Bate Hardy Prize for 2010.

The Prize is founded in memory of Sir William Bate Hardy (1864-1934) who was a Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. It is awarded once in three years “for the best original memoir, investigation or discovery by a member of the University of Cambridge in connection with Biological Science that may have been published during the three years immediately preceding”.

Since the awards began in 1965, five of the twenty-two previous prize winners have gone on to win Nobel Prizes in either chemistry or physiology and medicine.

Cambridge Scientists win major component of $4 Million joint funding initiative

Cambridge Scientists win major component of $4 Million joint funding initiative funded jointly by BBSRC (UK) and NSF (US)

Plants really matter, and for the next generation, plant and microbial productivity will become the focus of key global issues: the basis for feeding an additional 2-3 billion mouths, to drive forward an economy currently trading on past sunlight, and maintain biodiversity in the face of climate change. The enzymatic powerhouse at the heart of these processes takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses light energy to produce sugars and other building blocks of life. This enzyme, called Rubisco, is rather flawed and somewhat promiscuous: it engages with oxygen as well as carbon dioxide, to the detriment of potential plant productivity. Some plants have evolved mechanisms, which act like biological turbochargers, to concentrate CO2 around Rubisco and improve the enzyme’s operating efficiency. These carbon concentrating mechanisms have evolved in certain key crops, such as sugar cane and maize. Other plants, such as aquatic algae, have developed mechanism in parallel which actively concentrate bicarbonate as a source of CO2 for Rubisco.

An $8 million collaborative funding opportunity was recently offered by the UK BBSRC and the US NSF, with the challenge of surpassing these known pathways of carbon fixation, and maximising plant yield for the future. Selected scientists were pitched together to develop international consortia to develop novel ideas, prompted and guided by a scientific mentors and administrators. Four proposals were invited to be taken forward for development and funding, two of which involve scientists in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge. The Ideas Lab experience was likened by Prof Griffiths to be a combination of Big Brother, The Weakest Link and The Apprentice! Prof. Griffiths is the consortium leader for one of the joint proposals funded, which will be exploring the operation of an algal carbon concentrating mechanism, and the possibility for introducing components into higher plant cells. Dr Julian Hibberd is part of another consortium also supported by the BBSRC/NSF initiative, seeking to increase the efficiency of light harvesting by broadening the wavelengths of light, as used by bacteria, to power biophysical transport processes in higher plants.

This research support will consolidate a major Plant Sciences initiative at Cambridge, which is exploring the means to improve photosynthesis from the perspective of sustainable plant productivity and crop yields for the future. Additional work is also being undertaken by Dr Hibberd, investigating the potential introduction of C4 photosynthetic traits into crops such as rice. This programme is part of a broader sweep of strategic research relevant to sustainable crop development, involving RNAi, pathogen suppression and epidemiological controls to maintain yields in a changing climate.

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.’

Read more online

HE Woodman Prize

PhD supervisors are invited to submit nominations for the HE Woodman Prize for the best PhD or MPhil thesis submitted to the University of Cambridge in 2010 that is relevant to the chemistry of foods. Nominations should include a copy of the thesis abstract, a list of publications based on the work described in the thesis and a statement - 400 words or less - describing the impact of the thesis work and the basis of its relevance to the chemistry of foods. The value of the prize will be around £300 or any other value thought appropriate that is equal to or less than the spendable income and capital of the fund. The Prize is awarded by the Professors of Botany and Genetics and nominations by supervisors should be sent to Ombretta Orsini (oo203) in the Department of Plant Sciences by midnight on 18 January 2011.

David Baulcombe among most important figures in British science

Professor Sir David Baulcombe has been named among most important figures in British science in a list by the Times newspaper.

The Cambridge University news article.

Tom ap Rees Trust Fund: Invitation for Applications

The Department’s Tom ap Rees Fund was established in memory of Professor Tom ap Rees, former Head of Department and Professor of Botany. The income is used to make small grants to students in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, both undergraduates and postgraduates, who are in need of financial assistance in connection with their studies.

Applications to the Fund are invited twice a year, in April and September (with urgent applications being considered at other times if funds are available) To apply, please write a supporting case stating the amount requested and forward to Ombretta Orsini (oo203@cam.ac.uk) by 8 October for circulation to the Fund Managers.