Axillary buds are located at the base of each leaf. Initially dormant, each can grow into a branch. To study how branching is regulated by local signalling within each bud and by systemic signalling from other buds, we used stem sections with two axillary buds and their associated leaves (left). This signalling network...
Scientists reveal long-standing mystery of ENOD40, a pioneering gene in legume nodulation research that marks nodule identity
A gene identified more than 30 years ago has now revealed its role as a natural microRNA (miRNA) sponge to fine-tune the legume nodulation pathway. Researchers have discovered that ENOD40 sequesters a miRNA that usually downregulates a positive regulator of nodulation.
ARIA grant to reimagine plant engineering through gene expression noise
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) has been awarded a £500,000 two-year grant from the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) to pioneer a radical new approach in plant synthetic biology by using biological noise as a tool rather than treating it as a problem. Co-led by Professor James Locke and Dr Chris...
Advancing Neuroinclusion Best Practices Round Table 24 September 2025 | 2pm Venue: Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 47 Bateman St, Cambridge CB1 7AF ( How to find us ) Attend Online: Join the live Zoom Webinar More information: events@slcu.cam.ac.uk About the event Join colleagues from across academic...
Plant cell sculptors: How key proteins take on different roles to shape development
Trichomes on an Arabidopsis thaliana leaf (here shown using electron microscopy) are formed by a single cell adopting this spiked shape (top images). Arabidopsis plants without a SCAR/WAVE gene cannot form properly shaped trichomes, because their inner cytoskeleton control is impaired (bottom images). Images by Sabine...
Cambridge scientists uncover the genetic pathways behind petal pattern evolution New research reveals how repeated genetic changes in Hibiscus flowers have led to the loss of visually striking bullseye patterns despite their advantage in attracting pollinators like bumblebees. Scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory at the...
How circadian clocks maintain robustness in changing environments
Cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus in the Green Mother Machine. A freeze-frame of a timelapse movie. Cells are entrained in the chip upon exposure to 12 h darkness and then observed under free-running, continuous light conditions (medium LL, 20 μmol m−2 s −1 ). Phase contrast images are shown in the background in grey...
Cambridge Engineering brings mathematical beauty to life at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The Department of Engineering’s Design and Technical Services team will bring mathematical beauty to life with a Fibonacci spiral wall, designed and built for the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (20-24 May, 2025). We have been able to push the boundaries of traditional fabrication...
The Pollinator Patch at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025
Illustration of the planned Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge Blooming Numbers exhibit for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Melanie Sadler designed The Pollinator Patch to showcase the incredible diversity of plants that can be grown in a small area to support bees, butterflies, and other important pollinator species ...
New research reveals key mechanisms behind cell division
Root meristem of Vicia faba (broad bean) cells in anaphase and prophase stages of mitosis. Image from archive of Josef Reischig and licenced under CC BY SA 3.0 license as a part of Wikimedia Czech Republic 's GLAM initiative. New research reveals key mechanisms behind cell division A breakthrough in the study of cell...
