Early Career Professional Group (ECPro)

I work in R&D for Elsoms Seeds Ltd. Prior to working at Elsoms I studied a BSc in Applied Terrestrial and Marine Ecology at Bangor University -where I fell in love with plants! I joined Elsoms whilst studying for my MSc in Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health at the University of Edinburgh. My research interests focus on plant breeding, plant pathology, integrated pest management (IPM), as well as genomics and biotechnology. I’m passionate about exploring how these fields can contribute to more sustainable agricultural systems — not only to protect the environment, but to support farmers and food security as well.

I wanted to get involved in the ECPro group because I truly believe that mentorship and networking are fundamental in the early stages of a career. Sharing knowledge, building connections, and supporting one another are key to helping young professionals thrive in science.

Emily is a Research Fellow in Soil and Plant Science at Cranfield University, investigating how legumes can reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions through the Nitrogen Climate Smart project. Her research interests include rotation-scale land management and using new technologies to support farm productivity alongside environmental and economic sustainability. Emily is committed to supporting early career professionals (ECPs), having co-founded an ECP network in her previous industry role and now represents ECPs at Cranfield. An active AAB member for three years, Emily co-organised the recent ‘Legumes in Science and Practice’ conference and is currently co-guest editing the associated special issue.

Jamie has just finished his PhD on tomato genetics at Cranfield University. He previously undertook an internship with the AAB as part of his DTP training where he enjoyed taking part in the planning and facilitating of several conferences. He is passionate about creating a welcoming environment for early career researchers, particularly with a focus on celebrating neurodivergence and disability inclusivity.

Pankaj is a Postdoctoral Scientist at the John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK. His research focuses on viral diseases in peas and on advancing gene editing, transformation, and regeneration. He earned his PhD in 2024 from the IPG, Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań, Poland, where he studied pea–fungus interactions and optimised gene-editing protocols. Prior to this, he worked at NABI, India, on a project aimed at enhancing vitamin A in bananas. He holds a master’s degree in plant biotechnology from BHU, Varanasi, and a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Bihar, India. Beyond his laboratory work, he is passionate about gene-editing policy, SDGs, science communication, and translating agricultural innovations from lab to farm.

Ciara is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Seung Group at the John Innes Centre, investigating starch metabolism in potato. Previously, she obtained her PhD from Cranfield University on mango fruit ripening. She has been heavily involved in supporting early career scientists and science communication, including organising workshops, webinars, and writing skills- and career-focused blogs. She also gives lectures at the University of East Anglia to Biology undergraduates.

Huilin completed her PhD at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research focused on light signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana, with particular emphasis on how environmental cues regulate plant development through the degradation of photoreceptors. She is broadly interested in how environmental factors affect plant growth and survival, aiming to better understand the mechanisms underlying plant stress tolerance and developmental plasticity.

Klea is a PhD student at the University of Bonn, where she studies the molecular biology of plants. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Tirana and a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Bonn. Her research combines molecular biology techniques with bioinformatics to better understand plant development and adaptation. Beyond the lab, Klea enjoys hiking in nature and reading in her free time. She is passionate about using science to contribute to sustainable solutions for future challenges