Tegan Tyzack

Tegan is currently working within the Balk lab, pursuing a PhD through the EDESIA: Plants, Food & Health programme.

Tegan holds a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on improving the nutritional quality of crops, particularly legumes, to help address global micronutrient deficiencies that affect an estimated 2 billion people worldwide (WHO). While pulses like peas and beans are rich in protein, fibre, and essential micronutrients, they also contain high levels of dietary inhibitors, such as phytate, which reduce the absorption of important minerals in the digestive system.

Tegan’s project aims to investigate the genetic variation underlying mineral concentration in pea, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the mineral content of legumes to provide a better source of minerals for plant-based diets.