At our Heritage Open Day this year, Dr Mikhaela Neequaye talked about her research on the scent of flowers. Mikhaela describes herself as a chemical ecologist and studies the evolution and diversification of floral scent.

“Neurodiversity is an important part of organisations, teams and society, and without people that think differently we wouldn’t be as creative, efficient or strategic.” Professor Graham Moore FRS, Director of the John Innes Centre As we observe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Awareness Month and Dyslexia Awareness Week this October, it’s an opportune moment to...

As a penultimate year architecture student from the University of Leeds, I never imagined that my journey would lead me to a placement at a world-leading research institute specialising in plant science, genetics and microbiology. Yet, here I am, wrapping up a two-month internship with the Next Generation Infrastructure (NGI) Programme Office at the John...

Plants are incredible organisms, making up around 80% of all the biomass on Earth. However, despite their abundance, many people just don’t seem to notice plants. Dr Shannon Woodhouse, Education Programme Co-ordinator, explores this phenomenon.   Look at the picture above, what was the first thing you saw? I can guarantee it was Rex the cat and...

On the brick wall beside the entrance to the John Innes Centre reception, there is a white plaque featuring the JIC logo. Underneath the blue squares and name, you will find three words that sum up the mission of the organisation: Unlocking Nature’s Diversity. 

On Monday 29th July, the JIC/TSL Annual Student Science Meeting (ASM) unfolded with a fresh energy, designed by students, for students. Hosted by the John Innes Centre (JIC) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) student voices, this event was a unique opportunity for students to display their innovative research in a relaxed and supportive environment.  This...

Recently, we welcomed Aston Saini to the John Innes Centre’s policy team for a three-month internship. Earlier this month, we shared Aston’s  first blog Aston Saini, PIPS placement student – What I’ve learned about scientists engaging with policy makers. In this second  blog we asked Aston  to tell us about his experience of   working at...

In today’s blog, we hear from Aston Saini, a ‘Professional Internships for PhD Students’ placement student who recently spent three months working within the John Innes Centre policy team. Aston explores what his experience taught him about the ways researchers can engage with policy makers, as well as how crucial this aspect of science is...

Crop science is beginning to reap the benefits of Arthur Ernest Watkins’ work in the early 20th Century to assemble a diverse collection of local cultivars of wheat. As wheat scientist Robert Koebner wrote of this unassuming pioneer in the Genetics Society magazine, “Over 50 years since Watkins’ death and about 100 years since his...