Professor GilesOldroydelected as a fellow of the Royal Society
Professor GilesOldroydhas been recognised for his outstanding contributions to science in plant-microbe interactions with his election as a fellow of the Royal Society.Announced bythePresident of the Royal Society, DrVenkiRamakrishnan, 51 new Fellows, 10 Foreign Members and one Honorary Fellow have been selected for their outstanding contributions to scientific understanding.
As the inaugural director of the Crop Science Centre, ProfessorOldroydsaid: “It is a real honour to join such a prestigious fellowship of scientists. I hope that my own contributions to science can in time have positive impacts on society in a manner similar to my scientific heroes from the fellowship.”
Giles Oldroyd is the Russell R Geiger Professor of Crop Science and Director of the Crop Science Centre (a coalition of expertise between NIAB, the DPS and SLCU) and Group Leader at the SLCU. He leads a research team studying interactions between plants and beneficial micro-organisms, both bacteria and fungi, that aid in the uptake of nutrients from the environment, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
Uta Paszkowski is Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics at the Department of Plant Sciences. Uta leads the Cereal Symbiosis Group, which investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying formation and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses in cereals.
EMBO Membership honours distinguished scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the life sciences, including 88 Nobel Laureates. It is an international organisation of life scientists, which has more than 1800 members elected by peers.
Professor Giles Oldroyd FRS is Russell R Geiger Professor of Crop Science at the Sainsbury Laboratory, Director of the Crop Science Centre and Fellow at Fitzwilliam College. He is leading an international programme of research that attempts to achieve more equitable and sustainable agriculture through the enhanced use of beneficial microbial associations.
He said: “I have long admired the work that EMBO does to strengthen and coordinate science across Europe and it is an honour to now be a part of this prestigious European fellowship of biologists.”
EMBO Members can actively participate in EMBO’s initiatives by serving on the organisation's Council, committees and editorial boards, participating in the evaluation of applications for EMBO funding, acting as mentors to young scientists in the EMBO community, and advising on key activities. EMBO’s administrative headquarters are in Heidelberg, Germany.
This month Giles presented his work in the latest Fitzwilliam College Arrol Addam lecture. The lecture is available to view online in the link below:
At the Crop Science Centre, we are generating crop plants that deliver sufficient food for everyone in a sustainable way
We deliver agricultural impact, using excellence in research
We strive for sustainability, reducing agricultural reliance on chemical inputs
We foster equality, valuing all members of our research community
We believe in equity, ensuring even the world’s poorest farmers can grow enough food
“Years of research has provided a deep understanding of how plants function, creating opportunities to transform the way we produce our food. I am motivated to improve the sustainability and the equity of food production worldwide”
Professor Giles Oldroyd, CSC Director
“The delivery of both public goods and economic growth is essential for today’s plant scientists, with the need to produce sufficient healthy nutritious food without harming the environment being at the top of the international agenda.”
Dr Tina Barsby, CEO and Director of NIAB
“We envisage that new CSC crop technologies will enable higher crop yields and lower environmental impact for crop-based food production – as well as contributing to improved dietary health.”
