image: JIC Project Leader Dr. Christine Faulkner a Consolidator Grant to carry out research on cell communication in plant immunity. view more
Credit: The John Innes Centre
The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded JIC Project Leader Dr Christine Faulkner a Consolidator Grant to carry out research on cell communication in plant immunity.
The ERC Consolidator Grants support early/mid-career scientists to establish their scientific independence by providing the necessary resources to form a team of scientists and students within a host institute.
The ERC funding scheme is among the most highly coveted sources of funding in Europe, and potential recipients must submit a research proposal of the highest standard. The ERC only considers researchers with an exceptional track record for their career stage.
Dr Faulkner's research addresses how plant cells communicate and co-ordinate their responses to pathogen threats with the ultimate aim of understanding how defence signals triggered by single cells are transmitted through whole plants.
Dr Faulkner said:
"It's very exciting to launch a new project with support from the European Research Council. This grant will enable us to perform research on a large scale and will identify new elements of how the plant immune system operates across whole plants. I'm very pleased to have this opportunity and can't wait to get the project started."
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Notes to editor
1. For further information about ERC Consolidator Grants please go to: https://erc.europa.eu/funding-and-grants/funding-schemes/consolidator-grants
2. An image of Christine Faulkner can be downloaded from: http://bit.ly/2h8z1Qm
3. About the John Innes Centre
The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology.
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 wellbeing, 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 2015-2016 the John Innes Centre received a total of £30.1 million from the BBSRC.
The John Innes Centre is also supported by the John Innes Foundation through provision of research accommodation and long term support of the Rotation PhD programme.
The John Innes Centre is the winner of the BBSRC's 2013 - 2016 Excellence With Impact award.