Johnathan Napier

Yet more coverage of our astaxanthin project with @ecahoon2 at @UNL_PSI. Engineering Biology with a purpose.

In a great collaboration led by @ecahoon2 we engineered Camelina to make astaxanthin, which is used in aquafeed diets (to give a pink hue). We used genes from the Adonis plant - picture below gives a clue why! Helping to make aquaculure more sustainable. rothamsted.ac.uk/news/camelina-…

@PlantPhys is v. much open for broadly plant-related #SyntheticBiology business! 3 expert new editors @Cyano_Dan @MatiZurbriggen @McCormick_Lab, plus submission option via @biorxivpreprint & a robust scooping policy ⬇️ Please RT to spread the word!

I should add that it is being hosted by @PlantTeaching and the whole topic was developed and organised by @ADHansonLab. Big credit to Andrew for addressing this very important issue in a positive and collegiate manner.

blog.aspb.org/july-17-plant-… Please join me and the rest of this great panel, discussing how we as a community should not oversell research outputs whilst at the same time demonstrating societal relevance. Lots to cover!

Pleased to be attending the annual #SEBCONFERENCE here in Antwerp (in the zoo - great venue!). @PlantBiotechJ is sponsoring a number of sessions including P9-Engineering strategies for achieving SDGs, focusing on translation & field trials.

Pleased to have contributed to one of the articles in this special issue. There's lots of thought-provoking ideas in this volume.

Important update on the exploitation of our omega-3 technology - really pleased to now be working with @NuseedGlobal to help deliver additional new sources of plant-derived EPA+DHA in camelina. nuseed.com/33321-2/

A would-be smart smack-down to a serious science philosophy point. Let’s have a constructive conversation instead, Jason, e.g., how do you see bioengineering creativity being unleashed by setting relatively unformed minds to work on problems? Apart from a ‘less baggage’ argument.

More positive coverage of our great collaboration with @ecahoon2 from @UNLincoln. The power of plant biotechnology (published in @PlantBiotechJ !).

An international collaborative study has identified a new molecular mechanism that plants utilize to survive under conditions of continuous stress by recycling signalling molecules @IHSM_CSIC_UMA @CIB_CSIC 🌱🌧️☀️ Full story 👇 rothamsted.ac.uk/news/recycling…

In a new @PNASNews publication, our faculty and collaborators are advocating for a bold shift: food as medicine. Only 1 in 10 Americans meets daily produce intake. It’s time to rethink food, health & agriculture and it starts with #HOS 🔗 linktr.ee/UFHortSci

In addition to our big 4000m2 GM camelina trial at Suffolk, last week we also sowed some smaller plots on the @Rothamsted Farm in Herts. This trial has a range of traits & combines GE with GM approaches. Nice pics by @LihuaRobertson of the team & site.

Please have a look at this thread and associated publication - important practical advice on how we can address the challenge of the metabolic disease pandemic. I believe research should be challenge-lead, so this a call-to-arms.

Today our #GeneEdited camelina was sown at @Rothamsted! Using CRISPR-Cas9, we have generated larger seeds by silencing genes in seed coat development. Given the recent secondary legislation for the #PrecisionBreeding Act, we are excited to see how our lines develop in the field!

Another GM camelina field trial successfully drilled this Saturday, under the azure skies of Suffolk. The @Rothamsted Farm team of Mark, Samuil & Lewis did a great job in the hot & dusty conditions, but that's what testing in the real world is like. Thx also to @LihuaRobertson

Agreed, it's a really clear message. Good to see acknowledgement of reality at #3 'We still don't speak the language of biology'. Not too sure what that means for a company that pitches as being able to rewrite biology, but based on my 30+ years at the GM coalface, it 100% true.

@MPGeorgeFreeman @charliedewhirst @DefraGovUK @DefraChiefScien @niabgroup @JohnInnesCentre @jonathandgjones @TheSainsburyLab @EarlhamInst @talbotlabTSL @JohnathanNapie1 @Rothamsted @mcaccamo