You are here

Home

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

INTELLIGENT DATA ECOSYSTEMS

We bring together experts in a wide range of analytical instruments and technologies (digital microscopy, chemical analysis, next generation sequencing and metabolomics) with computational science teams (statistics, bioinformatics, ecoinformatics) and theoretical biologists. 

The research we undertake is often interdisciplinary and creates (or validates) new analytical approaches, new analysis methods, new software and new resources for direct application to Rothamsted’s science portfolios and more widely to research in agricultural systems.

Our facilities and expertise contribute to all three Science Portfolios, including all of the Institute Strategic Programme Grants and National Capabilities. We provide creative thinking expertise and resources to ensure that experiments are planned, samples are analysed with state-of-the art instruments and the resulting data are managed, analysed and interpreted using the best available methods

CONTACTS

Prof. Chris Baker

Science Director

Intelligent Data Ecosystems

Sally Murdoch

Executive Assistant to the Science Director

ALL DEPARTMENTAL STAFF

PROJECTS

Surveillance and monitoring

SMART CROP PROTECTION (SCP)

A gene to landscape approach to deliver more targeted and sustainable control of insect pests, weeds and diseases in agroecosystems.

Surveillance and monitoring

SOIL TO NUTRITION (S2N)

Advancing farming systems through an enhanced mechanistic understanding of nutrient use efficiency, productivity and resilience from soil to food product.

Surveillance and monitoring

DESIGNING FUTURE WHEAT (DFW)

Developing and screening novel wheat germplasm for the next generation of key traits which will underpin sustainable and productive agriculture

Surveillance and monitoring

TAILORING PLANT METABOLISM (TPM)

Exploiting fundamental understanding of plant metabolism to expand the value chains of existing industrial crops, delivering a portfolio of high value plant products and plant germplasm

Surveillance and monitoring

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS (ASSIST)

Developing and testing innovative farming systems that increase food production & resilience to future perturbations, while reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture.

Surveillance and monitoring

DISEASENETMINER - A NOVEL TOOL FOR MINING INTEGRATED BIOLOGICAL NETWORKS OF HOST AND PATHOGEN INTERACTION

Developing interactive web applications for mining and exploring large genome-scale knowledge networks from multiple fungal pathogens, their hosts and relevant model species.

Surveillance and monitoring

USING NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING TO REVEAL HUMAN IMPACT ON AQUATIC RESERVOIRS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA AT THE CATCHMENT SCALE

Mathematical modelling of metagenomics data to increase our understanding of the factors influencing levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria in river systems

Surveillance and monitoring

A REFERENCE GENOME SEQUENCE FOR WILLOW

Decoding the genome sequence of Salix viminalis – a willow species of importance as a renewable bioenergy source.

Surveillance and monitoring

EXPLOITING WILLOW METABOLITES AND PATHWAYS FOR THE BIO-ECONOMY

Engaging plant carbon metabolism to supplement petro-chemical derived feedstocks and high value products

SCIENCE CLUSTERS

Surveillance and monitoring

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

We provide extraction, digestion and analysis procedures on a range of agricultural based samples. With sample preparation facilities and advanced instrumentation for wet chemistry

Surveillance and monitoring

BIOIMAGING

Rothamsted Research's bioimaging facility provides state-of-the-art equipment and expertise available to internal and external research staff and collaborators. Our specialised team provides access, training and a fully managed service, as required.

Surveillance and monitoring

BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING

We are multi-disciplinary team of biologists and engineers. We develop approaches for continuous monitoring and surveillance of aerial biomass movement and new cutting edge engineering solutions and data analysis methods.

Surveillance and monitoring

GENOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS

We develop approaches for knowledge discovery, data mining and candidate gene prioritization to bridge the genotype to phenotype gap. As well as analytical research aimed at dissecting the genetic architectures of complex phenotypic traits

Surveillance and monitoring

MOLECULAR DISCOVERY

We are an interdisciplinary team of chemists and biologists using ‘omics’ to discover new compounds and understand and exploit plant metabolic pathways for the development of novel products

Surveillance and monitoring

STATISTICS AND ECOINFORMATICS

We develop statistical approaches to solve the institute’s research challenges from ‘omics to the landscape. We also support open access to research data by developing systems for discovering, accessing and linking Rothamsted’s agri-ecological datasets.