Rocky Payet

Rocky is currently working within the Osbourn lab.

Steroidal triterpenoids are found across the kingdoms of life and have considerable pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential. However, few complete biosynthesis pathways to high value steroid saponins have thus far been elucidated, which limits their commercial accessibility.

Rocky’s research focuses on understanding how plants make steroids and saponins thereof, and exploring the diversity of these compounds within and between species. I’m also interested in in planta functions of specialised metabolites, having previously elucidated the biosynthesis pathway of the anti-stress compound dimethylsulfoniopropionate in Spartina anglica.