Rose McNelly

Left - hand written letter from Darwin Right - first edition copy of 'On the Origin of species'

Right - first drawings of a potato

Amaryllis

Papaya

Have you ever seen a first edition copy of 'On the Origin of Species'? Or seen the first in print drawing of a potato 🥔?

These were just some of the treasures hiding away in the @johninnescentre.bsky.social rare books room which I was fortunate to visit last week. A truly amazing experience 📚🌱

We're still buzzing after yesterday’s session with 95 amazing students diving into plant science, food security, and sustainability. Their enthusiasm and questions show that the next generation of scientists is ready to make a difference. 🌾🌱

I had great fun joining this event today. It was a privilege to share my career journey so far and I enjoyed chatting with undergraduates about everything relating to wheat and plant science 🌱🌾

📣 Applications are now OPEN for the John Innes Foundation Rotation PhD Programme

This 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant & Microbial Sciences at The Sainsbury Laboratory, @johninnescentre.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social

🗓️ Apply before 13 Nov '25 ➡️ okt.to/qjy60T

Rotation biology PhDs | John Innes Centre Prestigious studentships, for entry in October 2022, this multi-disciplinary PhD programme includes; plant science, microbiology, biological chemistry, applied mathematics…

Applications are now OPEN for the JIF Rotation PhD Programme

This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.

🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025

www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...

Today I had a great time attending a writing workshop led by Mary Williams (@plantteaching.bsky.social). I came away with many tips for writing papers, a greater understanding of the peer review process and I enjoyed our discussion about AI and writing 📝 🖥️

It was so great having you at @johninnescentre.bsky.social!

Some amazing conversations on AI in writing, teaching, and the importance of plants 🌾

Grateful to be a part of the @aspbofficial.bsky.social community ❤️

Today's the last day to apply for the Plant Cell Assistant Features Editor (AFE) program, usually postdocs or senior PhD students! It's a fantastic opportunity, a great learning experience & a lot of fun too.
If you aren't quite ready, in June 2026 Plant Physiology will open its own call for AFEs 👍

I'm really looking forward to visiting Norwich again and sharing my perspective on why plants are the most amazing and important organisms in the universe! 🌱💚

🚨The Plant Cell Assistant Features Editors Application is Closing Soon!🌿

Learn more and apply now👉https://blog.aspb.org/the-plant-cell-is-accepting-applications-for-assistant-features-editors/.

#PlantScience

#PlastidPreview2025
A big thank you to all our excellent presenters and participants for making this meeting such a stimulating and engaging event. Grateful to be part of the inspiring Plastid Biology community!!

Machine recording gas exchange in a plant

Onions growing in a vertical farm

Part of the #PlastidPreview2025 program involved a trip to the plant growth facility at @universityofessex.bsky.social

It was super cool to see all the amazing facilities including onions growing in a vertical farm, how to measure photosynthesis and some impressive dynamic growth rooms 🌱

Rose presenting

Rose standing in front of a screen reading 'Generating giant starch granules in wheat'

The second and final day of #PlastidPreview2025 has been really insightful! I enjoyed networking with other early career researchers and it was an honour to present my work from my post doc. I was so pleased that so many people enjoyed hearing about starch and the many fruitful followup discussions!

We are now joined by @rosemcn.bsky.social‬ from the @johninnescentre.bsky.social‬, who is sharing her work on generating giant starch granules in wheat. What a fantastic project! #PlastidPreview2025

Screen with the words 'Plastid Preview 2025'

Plastid Preview 2025 program

It's been a great day at #PlastidPreciew2025 at the @universityofessex.bsky.social I've learnt about chloroplast development, retrograde signalling and even macroalgae!

@ciara-obrien.bsky.social, Thomas and Carol (my Seung group lab mates) gave fab talks and I'm looking forward to my go tomorrow...

And we are off! The conference has officially begun with our opening remarks from @thepallavisingh.bsky.social. A huge welcome to everyone joining us, both in person and online! Let's get started 🌱🚀 #PlastidPreview2025

Up first in Session I, we have Thomas Navarro from the Seung Lab at @johninnescentre.bsky.social! He is sharing his exciting work on how to improve diploid potatoes using a novel gene silencing technology. What an interesting project! #PlastidPreview2025‬

The stage is now with @ciara-obrien.bsky.social‬ from the Seung Lab at @johninnescentre.bsky.social. She is presenting on how starch phosphorylase is necessary for normal starch granule initiation in potato tubers. Great insight into potato biology! #PlastidPreview2025‬

The Plastid Preview 2025 spirit has taken over the Pallavi Singh Lab! 🌿🧬 We are gearing up for an exciting meeting of early career researchers in the plant sciences community. Don’t miss the excitement, we look forward to seeing you on 1–2 September! 📅 #PlastidPreview2025 #PlantScience

In the background Rose is standing in front of a screen presenting. In the foreground is the backs of students listening to the talk.

Earlier this week I spoke to students from @liysf.bsky.social about my journey through science and life at the John Innes Centre studying plants 🌱 It was a real full circle moment as I attended LIYSF myself when I was 18!

Plantae Fellows group photo

Plantae Fellows from past and present, near and far, gathered #IRL at #PlantBio2025, creating community year after year!🌱

📣Application is now open for the 2025-2026 Plantae Fellows program! Learn more and apply by August 31! plantae.org/2026fellowsapp/

I had a great time presenting my work on potato starch at #PlantBio2025 🥔 @aspbofficial.bsky.social

For more info see my poster 300-73!

Great to have two presentations from the Seung Lab at @johninnescentre.bsky.social in the same session, and another on Tuesday 🌱

Bright multicoloured wildlflowers in a collection in a domestic garden

Brightly coloured wildflowers running along a white concrete wall on the JIC site

Wonderful wildflowers: #LifeAtJIC home and away 🌼🌷

Thanks to Dr Anne Edwards for sharing snaps of the special wildflower mixes (“Flowers of the Great White Wall” and “Medieval Carpet”) which were sold to staff and students on-site this year - just one of our many #biodiversity boosting initiatives!

✨ #pint25 in the world
🌎27 countries
📍+500 cities
📅2900 events
🗣️6100 speakers
💪6850 organisers
🤩+130 000 attendees

WHAT A YEAR!!

Share your experience with us, anywhere in the world as an attendee, speaker or team. We want to hear from you! 🥳🔽
forms.gle/7BAZCygXu2nY...

This is a great program. We started in in 2016 and it just gets better and better!
Check out some past fellows who are on Bluesky: @philcarella.bsky.social @mattbnt.bsky.social @psaima.bsky.social @fromani.bsky.social @sjb287.bsky.social @aribidopsis.bsky.social @cavycavs.bsky.social

Someone asked if they could use this recording in their teaching. #PlantSci
YES! 😁
Please share this with students - the topics raised are so important.
Let's teach students (and colleagues?) to think critically about expectations for basic research, & be realistic about applications! 🌱🌾🌽

Attended several great talks today at the International Wheat Symposium hosted by @johninnescentre.bsky.social Got a great glimpse into the cutting edge wheat research and breeding efforts happening across major international institutes.

#WheatResearch
#CropGenetetics
#WheatBreeding

Rose standing in front of a screen. On the screen is the title of the presentation: "Exploiting natural variation in Aegilops tauschii to discover genetic factors influencing cereal endosperm starch"

Today I was lucky enough to attend an International Wheat Symposium at the @johninnescentre.bsky.social 🌾 There were many inspiring talks and I learnt so much about disease resistance, biofortification, breeding.... And I loved being able to share my work on starch in wheat wild relatives

Jess Wade behind a lectern with a large screen behind her.

This week I joined the Rosalind Franklin Women In Wheat annual workshop. I was inspired by Jess Wade's talk about academia's hidden curriculum, and enjoyed learning about fellowship opportunities and elevator pitches. Yet my highlight was meeting other early career scientists studying wheat 🌾

I'll be there, talking about plants, of course 💚.