Excellence in plant and microbial science
Today the John Innes Centre is proud to be home to staff from more than 40 different countries, but did you know that we have a long legacy of hosting international students, researchers and staff since 1912? Here we look back at some of our early visitors, who helped build the foundations of our community at JIC.
Read the storyOak Foundation has awarded £750,000 to support the John Innes Centre and The Sainsbury Laboratory’s Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet (HP3) vision
Read the storyMore than 80 years ago scientists discovered that differences in yellow pigmentation were critical to courtship success and failure for fruit flies. New research has added a deeper perspective to the study of Yellow, showing how in tortoise beetles this protein has been co-opted as a building material to house symbiotic bacteria.
Read the storyThe 39th edition of the John Innes Centre Advances magazine is now available online. This new edition highlights our commitment to translating knowledge into real-world impact, exploring how science benefits plants, people and planet
Read the storyDr Yang Yue, postdoctoral researcher in Professor Cathie Martin FRS’ group, looks back at the John Innes Centre’s annual plant Breeders’ Day held at the institute’s experimental farm. We asked him about why the opportunity to meet breeders, farmers, industry partners and funders was important for his research.
Read the storyA UK-led research collaboration has taken a significant step in the global effort to protect cereal crops from the devastating blast fungus pathogen
Read the storyAbigail Man joined our institute for her Year in Industry placement in 2025 while studying for a Biological Sciences degree at the University of East Anglia. She is one of 37 Year in Industry students that we have welcomed over the last 13 years, and shares her unique experience here.
Read the storyThe chair of our Governing Council, Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, is featured on the newly launched rewiggle podcast, to discuss the impact of the world-leading science taking place at the John Innes Centre
Read the storyHarvest has been challenging again this year. Heatwaves, flooding and drought are now regular headlines in the UK and around the world. 2026 is no anomaly: four of the five worst harvests have occurred in the last decade, and at our own experimental farm in Bawburgh, the harvest was the earliest on record for the second-year running.
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