Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU)

Check out the link below for a summary of our recent paper on how plants coordinate their branching architecture, via @slcuplants.bsky.social 🌱

Only a few days left to apply!

My group is looking for a postdoc to engineer and deploy new tools to precisely manipulate and decode how auxin coordinates plant morphogenesis.

@starmorph-syg.bsky.social

Research Associate - Reprogramming Development (closes 7 October 2025)

Job Advert - Russell R. Geiger Professorship of Crop Science @camplantsci.bsky.social @cropscicentre.bsky.social www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/russell...

Unlock your potential with a Master's at the University of Cambridge! 🔬 Our MPhil in Biological Sciences offers a unique opportunity for cutting-edge, lab-based research at a world-leading institution.

Explore and apply: www.mphil.bio.cam.ac.uk

#Cambridge #BiologicalSciences #Postgraduate

The next Research Café: Science Communication will take place on 30th September 2025 @ 11:30am-2:30pm at @West Hub, Cambridge.

We have limited places, sign up here!

For details and to sign-up:
www.tickettailor.com/events/thewe...

@camplantsci.bsky.social here in Cambridge is wonderful place to work. Great colleagues. Some very good science and a vibrant city. If you are a world-leading crop scientist wanting to lead a thriving centre, we would like you to join us
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/russell...

Dr Alison Gill from the University of Adelaide looks over a crop grown in a controlled environment. Photo credit: Lieke Van Der Hulst.

From space science to dinner plates: the future of farming indoors - on the new paper from an international team reimaging the way we grow food into the future.

Read more at: tinyurl.com/3edf6b93

@aligill.bsky.social @alexwebblab.bsky.social @cambridgebiosci.bsky.social

Happy to share slightly late that the main work of my PhD is now published! How do plants regulate the number + location of growing branches 🌳🌲? We used experiments and mathematical modelling to study how local and systemic signals are integrated during shoot branching regulation. A thread:

Friday Flower 004: Hibiscus trionum 🌺✨

Hibiscus trionum displays a dark bullseye in the center that acts as a landing pad for pollinators 🎯

The bullseye is made by a developmental boundary delineating distinct cell shapes and pigments.

“Plants have extraordinary flexibility in their growth, and branching is a key part of this adaptability. The unified model we have developed will help us to understand how plants integrate multiple sources of information to determine where to invest in growth.” -Ottoline Leyser

The model not only predicted outcomes under various genetic and hormonal conditions, but also incorporated new data on a previously unknown region of the #PIN1 auxin transporter that mediates its response to #strigolactone, offering fresh molecular insight into hormonal control of bud growth."

Fig 3. Branching behaviors of 2-node explants can be captured by a model with self-activating and mutually-inhibiting buds. (A) and (B) Model conceptualization and mathematical formulation. The interaction between two buds in a 2-node explant can be considered as a set of self-activating and mutually-inhibiting feedbacks on auxin efflux. Each bud promotes its own auxin efflux and inhibits efflux from the other bud. The auxin efflux E and F from the top and bottom bud, respectively, is influenced by three components (i) a basal rate of auxin efflux v0, (ii) a Hill function which creates a positive feedback on auxin efflux, where v sets the maximum rate of auxin efflux, S the strength of auxin efflux, K the Hill saturation coefficient, n the degree of non-linearity of the Hill function, D the strength of the mutual inhibition between the auxin efflux of the two buds, and (iii) a linear decrease in auxin efflux, the strength of which is set by µ. E and F influence bud lengths N and M, respectively. The relationship between auxin efflux and growth rate is a Hill function, where m influences the degree of nonlinearity, and Q is the saturation coefficient. (C) Steady state growth rate as a function of the steady state of auxin efflux, for different values of Q and m. Three grey vertical lines mark three steady states of auxin efflux at 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75. (D) and (E) Three stochastic simulations illustrating the model behaviors. Each set of simulations is represented with a different color. (F) Deterministic simulation showing the change in auxin efflux E over time for 5 different values of v0: 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09. Scripts of simulations underlying this figure can be found at https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.120831.

“This work brings together experiments and modelling to show how local and systemic signals can interact to control bud growth. What’s striking is that such a simple model can capture the range of branching behaviours we see experimentally.” -James Locke

(A) A stem segment with two axillary buds illustrates two regulatory hubs controlling shoot branching (i) local expression of the transcription factor BRC1, a repressor of bud activation, and (ii) systemic regulation of the auxin transport network. A canalization-based model of shoot branching postulates that bud activation requires the establishment of canalized auxin transport from the bud into the main stem, the dynamics of which is influenced by autocatalytic feedback in auxin flow between the bud and the stem, and the relative auxin source and sink strengths of the bud and stem, respectively. The relationship between BRC1- and auxin-transport-mediated regulation is not known. (B) Arabidopsis bud activation occurs in at least two phases: a slow-growing lag phase, then a switch to rapid outgrowth. Typical timescale 10–12 days. Modified from Nahas and colleagues [46]. (C) Diagram illustrating the four possible growth outcomes for bud activation on 2-node explants, and their representation in a Mitchison plot. Mitchison plots present the length of the top bud versus that of the bottom bud over time in each explant. Explants where at least one bud grows are termed active, otherwise, they are inactive. Within active explants, there are three possible outcomes: both buds grow, or only either the top or the bottom bud activates. All graphics were drawn by hand using Adobe Illustrator by Zoe Nahas.

Scientists from @slcuplants.bsky.social combined experiments & modelling to demonstrate how local signals in plant buds link up with whole-plant hormone flows to control branching.
Research summary
www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/news/bud-to-...

Axillary buds are located at the base of each leaf. Initially dormant, each can grow into a branch. To study how branching is regulated by local signalling within each bud and by systemic signalling from other buds, we used stem sections with two axillary buds and their associated leaves (left). This signalling network influences, for example, whether one bud grows and rapidly inhibits the other (middle), or whether both buds grow simultaneously (right).

🌱From Bud to Branch🌱
New model reveals how local & systemic signals combine to regulate shoot branching.
"...by modulating #auxin transport, local #BRC1 expression in each bud could contribute to the systemic control of branching." @zoenahas.bsky.social
🔗 dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
@plosbiology.org

Computational Morphodynamics Group Research group members and details of upcoming and past workshops organised by the Computational Morphodyamics Group.

This annual workshop, which is spearheaded by members of the Computational Morphodynamics group, has grown from 20 attendees in 2011 to 70 attendees in 2025.

Looking forward to the next gathering at @ensdelyon.bsky.social in 2026!

ℹ️ computationalmorphodynamics.org

And thank you to the Quantitative Plant Biology journal for sponsoring this workshop and running a great session on publishing your research.

The organisers of this meeting are co-editing a QPB issue dedicated to Computational Morphodynamics.

Call for papers: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Group photo of workshop attendees standing in ginkgo tree courtyard with the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University building in background.

🌿💻 Plant Models and Morphology 💻🌿

The 9th International Plant Computational Biology Workshop @slcuplants.bsky.social brought together mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists and biologists exploring plant development through models and simulations.

Huge thanks to organisers and speakers!👏

Thanks to Madelaine Bartlett from Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge Uni,
@slcuplants.bsky.social
for a fascinating and thought provoking presentation today. Find out more about Madeline's work using grass diversity to dissect mechanisms of angiosperm evolution here:
bartlettlab.org

Join us for the 4th annual NonSeed Plant Meeting in Norwich this year! @johninnescentre.bsky.social

#iMMM2025 is about to kick of in Munich, Bavaria (clearly), Germany - looking forward to 2.5 days filled with amazing molecular mycorrhiza research!

2-node explants capture key properties of bud regulation. Top left: A stem segment with two axillary buds illustrates two regulatory hubs controlling shoot branching (i) local expression of the transcription factor BRC1, a repressor of bud activation, and (ii) systemic regulation of the auxin transport network. A canalization-based model of shoot branching postulates that bud activation requires the establishment of canalized auxin transport from the bud into the main stem, the dynamics of which is influenced by autocatalytic feedback in auxin flow between the bud and the stem, and the relative auxin source and sink strengths of the bud and stem, respectively. The relationship between BRC1- and auxin-transport-mediated regulation is not known. Bottom left: Arabidopsis bud activation occurs in at least two phases: a slow-growing lag phase, then a switch to rapid outgrowth. Typical timescale 10–12 days. Right: Diagram illustrating the four possible growth outcomes for bud activation on 2-node explants, and their representation in a Mitchison plot. Mitchison plots present the length of the top bud versus that of the bottom bud over time in each explant. Explants where at least one bud grows are termed active, otherwise, they are inactive. Within active explants, there are three possible outcomes: both buds grow, or only either the top or the bottom bud activates.

How do #plants dynamically modulate their shoot branching for optimal returns? ‪@zoenahas.bsky.social‬ &co show that BRC1 modulates bud competitiveness by reducing #auxin efflux, integrating hormonal cues to fine-tune branching patterns @plosbiology.org @slcuplants.bsky.social 🧪 plos.io/4pnrwY2

Promotional informational image with text, symbol for neurodiversity ( rainbow infinity symbol) and photos of panellists. The text says: Advancing Neuroinclusion Best Practices Round Table 24 September 2024 | 2pm Venue: Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 47 Bateman St, Cambridge CB1 7AF (How to find us) Attend Online: Join the live Zoom Webinar More information: events@slcu.cam.ac.uk Please join us in this round table to discuss how we can support neurodiverse colleagues and create an environment where everyone can thrive. Panellists are: Dr Kelsey J.R.P Byers (John Innes Centre), Dr Amanda Brunton (CCTL, University of Cambridge), Dr Julie Bailey (University of Cambridge) and Dr Kate Hughes (Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge). Hosted by the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU)

Advancing Neuroinclusion – Best Practices Round Table
📅 24 September 2024 | 2pm BST
📍 Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University & 💻 Zoom

Join us for a round table exploring how we can better support neurodiverse staff & students in research and academic settings
🔗 www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/advancing-ne...

New preprint!
"Understanding Shape and Residual Stress Dynamics in Rod-Like Plant Organs" 🌱
with @merozlab.bsky.social and @routierlab.bsky.social
👉 doi.org/10.1101/2025...

A collage of different biologists with the text #IAmABiologist

📣 Calling all biologists!

Each year during Biology Week in October, we aim to inspire future biologists by highlighting the diverse roles available in the biosciences through our #IAmABiologist campaign - but to do that, we need your help!

(1/2)

Cafe Synthetique returns on 8 Sept! Join us for talks on:

🛰 Remote Sensing with Jim Haseloff @jimhaseloff.bsky.social and Matt Wayland @waylandm.bsky.social
🧪 Smart Sensors into SBS Plates for data-driven biology with Salavat Magazov (CCA.BIO)

🎟 Register 👉 www.tickettailor.com/events/engin...

Job Opportunities - Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Join our Learning Team! We have two roles:
Family Learning Coordinator: Create nature experiences for families
Interpretation & Learning Coordinator: Share stories of our plant collections & lead adult learning programmes
Apply at: https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/join-support/job-opportunities/

🌿 Calling All Undergrads!
Black in Plant Science Conference 2025 - Friday 24 September

- 🤝 Meet fellow students & researchers
- 🎤 Hear from inspiring speakers
- 🍃 Build your academic and social community
- 🎓 Student Fee: £15

🔗 Register Here: buff.ly/cdIr29N

📢Workshop Announcement: Culturally Sensitive Mentoring

Chaired by Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso alongside Dr Katharine Hubbard and Chloe Lewis this interactive workshop equips mentors with the tools to engage meaningfully across cultures.

To find out more, head to our website: buff.ly/huckAbw

Checkout our new starter pack: Academics to follow on BlueSky to keep up to date with cutting edge discoveries in the world of plant science!
go.bsky.app/5CYhV8v

A woman standing next to a cardboard cutout of Professor Henslow outside a small stone building.

Pressed plant specimens displayed on a wall.

Portrait of Professor Henslow

👀 Take a sneak peek at our Custodian’s Hut pop-up display (near the café)! Visit 20–25 Aug to meet Dr Kate Hooper & learn about John Stevens Henslow, founder of the modern CUBG & Darwin’s tutor.

📖Read more about Henslow: https://bit.ly/4mqIByn

@camplantsci.bsky.social #CUBG #UniversityofCambridge