We have been awarded a major research grant as part of UK’s ARIA’s (Advanced Research and Invention Agency) prestigious Programmable Plants initiative.
The project, in collaboration with Azotic Technologies, will develop an innovative method to temporarily programme plants with new traits using a natural microbe found in plants.
The research will focus on Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, a type of bacteria that lives inside plant cells.
This microbe will be used to introduce beneficial traits into a wide variety of crops quickly and cost-effectively.
The technique could allow farmers to enhance plant performance, resilience, and nutritional value without permanent genetic modification.
The project aims to tackle some of agriculture’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, rising demand for food, and the overuse of chemical inputs.
By enabling plants to temporarily express new traits, the technology could offer a safer, more flexible approach to crop protection and improvement.
Potential benefits include reducing the need for chemical pesticides, helping crops cope with heat, drought, and disease, and improving food quality and nutrition.
Our research team brings together years of academic expertise with Azotic Technologies’ industry experience.
The research will be carried out across Durham and York, involving laboratory work, plant trials, and the development of genetic and cell-biology tools.
The project also includes appointing new researchers to expand capabilities in plant-microbe interactions.
The project is co-led by Professor Ari Sadanandom from our Biosciences Department and Professor Adriana Botes, Research & Development Director at Azotic Technologies.
The team also includes scientists with expertise in plant science, cell biology, biotechnology, and genetic engineering.
Our Department of Biosciences is ranked fifth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2025. Visit our Biosciences webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
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