Dr Penny Hundleby

As the Research Partnerships and HP3 Hub Lead for the John Innes Centre and The Sainsbury Laboratory, Penny drives collaborative initiatives in line with our shared vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet (HP3).

The Next Generation Infrastructure (NGI) programme aims to build world leading research facilities, and to foster collaboration, support training, and provide a foundation for impactful partnerships across the UK and global bioscience communities. Penny’s work aims to advance plant and microbial sciences through partnerships with scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers, addressing critical global challenges in sustainability, food security, and public health.

Penny previously worked in the Crop Transformation team, leading the Brassica Crop Transformation Technology Platform and continues to closely follow the evolving global regulatory and political landscape surrounding GM and gene-edited (precision-bred) crops. Her expertise spans the history and status of biotech crops, with a particular focus on regulatory frameworks, biosafety concerns, and effective science communication.

Penny is deeply engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including scientists, breeders, farmers, policymakers, and the public. She has a particular interest in the legislative developments related to the UK Precision Breeding Act and its implications for the future of crop innovation.