OpenPlant Research Activities
The OpenPlant initiative brings together an exceptional collection of scientists, whose skill sets range from biophysics, chemistry and DNA assembly to crop physiology and agronomy. An overarching aim of the project is to provide a map of feasible technical approaches to improving bioproduction and agriculture.
The OpenPlant initiative supports two tiers of research activities. First, we are developing open technologies that will underpin systematic approaches to bioengineering of plants. Second, our development of new tools is contributing to the engineering of new traits in plants. Read more following the links below:
Areas of Research
Open Tools and Technologies
The OpenPlant initiative supports the development of open technologies that will underpin systematic approaches to bioengineering of plants:
Development of the lower plant Marchantia as a simple and facile chassis for Synthetic Biology, to enable high throughput screening and analysis at the cellular scale (Workpackage A)
A common syntax and moderated archive for plant DNA parts and assembly of genetic circuits (Workpackage B)
New mechanisms for regulation of gene expression (Workpackage C)
Techniques for routine genome-scale engineering in plants (Workpackage D)
Software tools with improved performance for DNA part catalogues, automated assembly, modelling of synthetic gene circuits and cellular morphogenesis (Workpackage E)
Engineering Plant Traits and Products
OpenPlant’s development of new foundational DNA tools and techniques allows for bio-engineering of new plant traits and products:
Altered photosynthesis and leaf structure (Workpackage F)
Changes in plant carbohydrate content (Workpackage G)
Engineering of plant metabolic pathways for production of natural products (Workpackage H)
New forms of symbiosis and nitrogen fixation for crop plants (Workpackage I)
Plant virus-based systems for bioproduction (Workpackage J)