News Release

John Innes Centre scientist awarded Royal Microscopical Society Vice President's Medal

Grant and Award Announcement

Norwich BioScience Institutes

Kim Findlay, head of bio-imaging at the John Innes Centre (JIC) has been awarded the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) Vice President's Medal for her outstanding contribution to the field of electron microscopy in plant and microbial imaging.

Mrs Findlay manages the John Innes Centre's bio-imaging facility where she operates, updates and provides training on the enormous range of cutting edge equipment which is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and housed at the JIC site in Norwich.

She has made an active input into many scientific projects and is an author on over 60 scientific papers. She has made a particularly important and long-term contribution to antibiotic research in the soil bacteria Streptomyces and has also had extensive collaborations with many other scientists within and outside JIC. She is a long-standing member and fellow of the RMS, an honorary lecturer at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and has won prizes for her images.

During more than 28 years at JIC, Mrs Findlay has taken an active role in increasing public understanding of science, including hosting schools tours and contributing to "Inside Science" workshops every year for gifted science students.

Professor Dale Sanders, Director of the John Innes Centre said:

"Kim's award is richly deserved and recognises her outstanding contribution to our understanding of plant and microbial science. Her advice on imaging has been essential to the delivery of an enormous range of science at the John Innes Centre.

"Kim is an excellent ambassador for science, training university students and giving school children what is often their first opportunity to see nature in amazing microscopic detail. It is a source of great pride and pleasure for JIC to see Kim's contribution recognized at such a high level."

Kim Findlay said: "I was surprised and delighted to hear that I have won the RMS Vice President's Medal. I have strived to deliver high-quality bio-imaging services at the John Innes Centre for well over 20 years and it means a great deal to me to be recognised for my efforts."

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Notes to editors

1. If you have any questions about the award or wish to interview Kim Findlay please contact:

Geraldine Platten
Communications Manager
John Innes Centre & The Sainsbury Laboratory
t: 01603 450 238
e: geraldine.platten@jic.ac.uk

2. Images to accompany this press release can be found at http://bit.ly/1bdBohc and include a photograph of Kim along with some striking examples of her work.

3. The Royal Microscopical Society's announcement of this and other awards can be found at http://www.rms.org.uk/About/News/medal-series-winners-2015

4. About the John Innes Centre

Our mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research, to train scientists for the future, to apply our knowledge of nature's diversity to benefit agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and engage with policy makers and the public.

To achieve these goals we establish pioneering long-term research objectives in plant and microbial science, with a focus on genetics. These objectives include promoting the translation of research through partnerships to develop improved crops and to make new products from microbes and plants for human health and other applications. We also create new approaches, technologies and resources that enable research advances and help industry to make new products. The knowledge, resources and trained researchers we generate help global societies address important challenges including providing sufficient and affordable food, making new products for human health and industrial applications, and developing sustainable bio-based manufacturing.

This provides a fertile environment for training the next generation of plant and microbial scientists, many of whom go on to careers in industry and academia, around the world.

The John Innes Centre is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). In 2013-2014 The John Innes Centre received a total of £31.4 million from the BBSRC.

About BBSRC

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.

Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over £484M in world-class bioscience in 2013-14. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact see:http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk

For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes see:http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/institutes


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