Lauren is responsible for leading all the communication activity for Growing Kent & Medway. This involves securing press coverage, developing and delivering events, generating website content and managing the social media channels.
Growing Kent & Medway is supported by UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund and is establishing the Kent & Medway region as a world-leader in climate-smart, sustainable horticultural food and drink production.
As GKM's Innovation Growth Manager, Robert works closely with stakeholders across the Growing Kent & Medway programme to engage businesses in the region with the facilities, resources and expertise available within the cluster.
Growing Kent & Medway is supported by UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund and is establishing the Kent & Medway region as a world-leader in climate-smart, sustainable horticultural, food and drink production.
As Assistant Plant Breeder, I am involved in all practical aspects of the strawberry breeding programmes in the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding Department. I provide scientific and organisational support for the crop genetic improvement projects here at NIAB EMR. I currently assist with the operation of on-site trials including plant propagation and micropropagation using meristem excision. I also provide technical assistance with plant patent applications.
I work in the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding department as a Plant Technician. The main purpose of my role is to provide support to the strawberry and raspberry breeding programmes by carrying out general plant husbandry duties, fruit assessments and technical assistance with plant patent applications. Additionally, I assist with maintaining the germplasm collection, performing seed extractions and micropropagating plants via meristem excision.
Simon provides field and laboratory-based technical support for the apple and cherry breeding programmes at East Malling. He is also involved with cherry epiphyte and apple canker research projects.
Professor Dan Sargent is Head of the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding department at NIAB EMR in Kent. The department is focused on developing industry-leading varieties of strawberries, raspberries, apples and cherries, and delivering cutting edge genetics and genomics research to support variety development.
The research portfolio of the department includes:
My current research focuses on the analysis of metagenomics data to try and understand some of the complex microbial interaction in and between organisms in soil/rhizosphere/rhizoplane and plant endophytes. I am also the principal statistician for NIAB East Malling and increasingly for the wider NIAB group.
Francis is based at East Malling in the pest and pathogen ecology department at NIAB EMR.
Dr Matevz Papp-Rupar, Molecular Plant Pathology PhD, Biotechnology MSc, is a research leader in the Pest and Pathogen Ecology Department in East Malling with over 10 years' experience in plant pathology. His early research at National Institute for Biology, Slovenia included detection and characterisation of Potato virus Y and grapevine yellows phytoplasma (Ca. Phytoplasma vitis) in pathogen hosts, wild plant species and insect vectors.
My main research interests are in the biology of insect crop pests and plant-virus-vector interactions, from both molecular and ecological approach. In particular on how findings from the lab can be translated and applied in the field to benefit growers. I am currently working on a BBSRC-funded project where my role is to investigate the biology and the egg laying behavior of the spotted wing Drosophila, D. suzukii, a major pest in soft and stone fruit production.
