What got you interested in science?

It was simply curiosity. When I worked on golf courses, I was fascinated by the environmental aspects of the role. Ultimately, the grass on the course is subject to many challenges, including pathogens, heat and drought. For me, the answer was to learn as much as possible to mitigate the impact on the course. This led me to complete a foundation degree in sports turf science. It included some plant science, but I needed to know more, which meant immersing myself back into full time education.

What brought you to JIC?

During my time at the University of East Anglia, studying for an MSci in Plant Sciences, I applied for a position at the John Innes Centre helping PhD student Tom Vincent in Professors Tony Miller and Dale Sanders’ lab. Tom was collaborating with Professor Saskia Hogenhout, focusing on calcium signalling in plants during a plant-aphid interaction.

For my undergraduate research project, I stayed in the Miller-Sanders lab, and investigated similar calcium responses, but this time, during nitrate sensing in plants. I then did my Masters with Saskia and then my PhD, asking the question: ‘Can plants perceive insect herbivores and know them to be a threat?’

What is your current job role?

I am one of the cofounders of GetGenome, a non-profit housed within The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL). We empower scientists by democratising genomics technology and training. That’s our mission.

How did your time at JIC influence your career?

During my Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS) placement, I spent time at the AfriPlantSci summer school in Kenya. A participant who worked for a government agency explained they were investigating a coconut disease outbreak in neighbouring regions. I supported their research through genomics, which highlighted the barriers to accessing genomics when trying to collect high-quality DNA in 35°C with limited resources. I began to think about ways to formalise what later became GetGenome’s mission – to democratise genomics and to provide these technologies and skills to researchers globally. I later discovered that Professor Sophien Kamoun, a group leader at TSL, had gone further than I had to begin to address inequity. We joined forces.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I get to support so many researchers. Sometimes I send them ten whole genome sequences of organisms that have amazing potential. I can only imagine how transformative it must be to receive the genome of an organism you’ve studied for a decade or more!

Once researchers get this data, we encourage them to engage in open science and disseminate their findings. If research is shared, we benefit everybody, from researchers, to policy makers, to the general public.

Our organisation starts with the researcher and branches out like a tree, empowering scientists to make a difference, to generate their own impact and ultimately form a network of shared opportunities.

What advice would you give to current staff and students?

Build meaningful working relationships. Some of them won’t flourish, but others could be life changing. If you put yourself out there, you’ll meet somebody who will inspire you and that could change everything. Achieving a goal depends on the support and collaboration of others – you never reach it alone.