Photosynthesis and Metabolism
The Plant Metabolism group focusses on both improving our basic understanding of plant metabolic networks and also in manipulating plant metabolism to improve crops for the future. All aspects of plant metabolism are relevant to the group, from defining the make up of a specific network, determining the role of specific pathways, understanding the regulation at the transcriptional through to post-translational levels, and elucidating their co-ordination within the metabolic system. We particularly encourage the work of young PhD and postdococtoral scientists.
The Convenor for the Plant Metabolism Group is Julian Hibberd, Department of Plant Sciences, (University of Cambridge) 
Julian's research focuses on the evolution of the C4 pathway and the role of proteins in C3 plants before they are recruited into C4 photosynthesis. Although C4 photosynthesis appears complex, it has evolved over 60 times independently from species that use C3 photosynthesis. C4 crops yield about 50% more than C3 crops. His work has used C3 species to understand the role and regulation of genes and proteins that are recruited into the C4 pathway. He has also developed Cleome gynandra, the most closely related C4 species to Arabidopsis as a model, and is using deep sequencing of con-generic C3 and C4 pairs to uncover patterns of gene expression associated with C4 photosynthesis. He also works with maize, rice and wheat.
Email: julian.hibberd@plantsci.cam.ac.uk