Cambridge University Botanic Gardens and The Sainbury Laboratory

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Cambridge University Botanic Gardens

About the Botanic Garden (CUBG) CUBG research aims to increase our understanding of the diversity of plant life, in order to support efforts to conserve plant biodiversity and to maximise the sustainable use of plants to support mankind. Research conducted in the Garden focuses on plant evolution & systematics, and conservation & sustainability, but the Garden plays an important role in supporting plant science more broadly. Its research collections, facilities and horticultural expertise are available to anyone in the University, e.g. recently: Depts. of Archaeology, Architecture, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Geography, Plant Sciences, Zoology and the Sainsbury Laboratory. External collaborators include Anglia Ruskin University, John Innes Centre, Microsoft Research and other universities and research organisations.

About the Sainsbury Laboratory (SLCU) Research at SLCU is focused on understanding how plants develop and function as selforganising structures. The fundamental discoveries it makes in both plant science and plantmicrobe interactions help to deliver science solutions that improve sustainable crop production. Current research topics at SLCU include: plant branching and architecture, plant hormones and signalling, plant temperature signalling, signalling and cellular changes during plant-microbe interactions. Our visit will include an introduction to CUBG and its aims by Dr Sam Brockington (Curator), a tour of the Garden with Sally Pettit (Head of Horticulture) and, in SLCU, a discussion on the role of botanic gardens in a post-genomic era of research.