The aim of research at SLCU is to elucidate the regulatory systems underlying plant growth and development. SLCU houses 12 research groups each consisting of around 10 researchers. Details of research posts available at SLCU can be found on our Jobs page. PhD students should contact relevant group leaders to find out about any study opportunities at the Sainsbury Laboratory.
SLCU Leadership Team
 |
Professor Henrik JönssonDirector and Research Group Leaderhenrik.jonsson@slcu.cam.ac.ukJönsson Research GroupThe Jönsson Group develops computational morphodynamics models at the cellular level describing multicellular tissues such as the shoot apical meristem. |
 |
Dr Alexander JonesResearch Group Leaderalexander.jones@slcu.cam.ac.ukJones Research GroupThe Jones Group investigates how plant hormones serve as signal integrators and master regulators of physiology and development. |
 |
Professor Ottoline LeyserResearch Group Leaderol235@cam.ac.ukLeyser Research GroupThe Leyser Group studies the dynamic properties of plant hormone networks and their role in plant developmental plasticity, using the regulation of shoot branching as a model. *Professor Leyser is on secondment to UKRI until June 2025 and is not currently accepting any new students or research staff team members. |
 |
Professor James LockeAssociate Director and Research Group LeaderProfessor of Quantitative Plant Developmentjames.locke@slcu.cam.ac.ukLocke Research GroupThe Locke Group investigate gene expression dynamics in microbial and plant systems. |
 |
Professor Elliot MeyerowitzInaugural Director, Distinguished Associateelliot.meyerowitz@slcu.cam.ac.ukMeyerowitz Research GroupThe Meyerwitz Group combines real-time live imaging, mathematical models and experiments to study the development of flowers, shoots, and shoot meristems. |
 |
Dr Edwige MoyroudResearch Group Leaderedwige.moyroud@slcu.cam.ac.ukMoyroud Research GroupThe Moyroud Group studies the mechanisms that account for pattern formation in petals at the molecular, cellular, biophysical and ecological levels. |
 |
Dr François NédélecResearch Group Leaderfrancois.nedelec@slcu.cam.ac.ukNedelec GroupThe Nédélec Group studies cell morphogenesis and developmental biology using synthetic and systems biology approaches, and computer modelling. |
Dr Sarah RobinsonResearch Group Leadersarah.robinson@slcu.cam.ac.ukRobinson Research GroupThe Robinson Group uses a combination of novel biophysical tools, genetic manipulation and mathematical modelling to investigate how plant development (cell division and cell expansion) is controlled. |
|
 |
Dr Sebastian SchornackResearch Group Leadersebastian.schornack@slcu.cam.ac.ukSchornack Research GroupThe Schornack Group aims to characterise the extent to which beneficial and detrimental microorganisms employ similar plant developmental processes for colonisation |
Dr Renske VroomansCarer Development Fellowrmav2@cam.ac.ukVroomans Research GroupThe Vroomans Group studies long-term processes in plant development using evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) models. |
|
Dr Chris WhitewoodsCareer Development Fellowchris.whitewoods@slcu.cam.ac.ukWhitewoods Research GroupThe Whitewoods Group studies how plants pattern themselves in three dimensions, using leaf air spaces and carnivorous plant traps as models |
