Our history and funding
A dedicated research institute to study plant development
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) was established in 2011 as a purpose-built institute for fundamental research into understanding the regulatory systems underlying plant growth and development.
We bring together up to 150 scientists, technicians and professional services support staff in a collaborative research environment, set within the grounds of Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
We are a research-only deparment within the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
SLCU brings together specialists in biological, physical, and mathematical sciences integrating a range of wet-lab experimental research with computational modelling. This interdisciplinary approach is essential for understanding the complex dynamic and self-organising properties of plants.
Gatsby commitment to plant science research
SLCU was made possible through the vision and sustained support of The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, whose investment funded the construction of the award-winning building and continues to underpin its core research programme.
Why plants?
Plants are the foundation for virtually every ecosystem and agricultural system on Earth. A fundamental understanding of how plants grow and develop is therefore paramount for the long term security of a sustainable supply of food and other plant products, such as fuel, fibres and building materials.
The study of plant development is being transformed by the new scientific and technical resources and the data derived from this research has opened the way for predictive computational models, which are essential for understanding the dynamic, self-organising properties of plants.
We now have an unprecedented opportunity to obtain an integrated understanding of plant development, setting the stage for a new synthesis that will draw on molecular, cellular, whole plant, and population biology to elucidate how plants are constructed.
SLCU has established a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment that capitalises on these exciting opportunities.
A building inspired by discovery
The Cambridge University Botanic Garden's remarkable history in plant science and the evolving nature of scientific research inspired the building's award-winning design by Stanton William Architects.
The building is well equipped for pioneering plant science research with its modern 11,000m2 building that incorporates laboratories, support areas, and meeting spaces, together with the University’s Herbarium, public café and a 150-seat auditorium where academic symposia and public talks are held. SLCU has 42 controlled environment growth rooms, 300m2 of growing space under glass, tissue culture rooms and Level 2 Containment facilities. There is an in-house state-of-the-art advanced imaging facility for scientists working on several aspects of plant developmental biology, including live imaging of developing plant tissues, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The Laboratory is also set-up to support advanced bioinformatics, image processing and modelling software development.
