As GKM's Innovation Growth Manager, Robert works closely with stakeholders across the Growing Kent & Medway programme to engage businesses in the region with the facilities, resources and expertise available within the cluster.
Growing Kent & Medway is supported by UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund and is establishing the Kent & Medway region as a world-leader in climate-smart, sustainable horticultural, food and drink production.
As an assistant plant breeder, I am involved in all practical aspects of the strawberry breeding programmes in the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding department. I provide scientific and organisational support for the crop genetic improvement projects at NIAB East Malling. I currently assist with the operation of on-site trials including plant propagation and micropropagation using meristem excision. I also provide technical assistance with plant patent applications.
I work in the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding department as a Plant Technician. The main purpose of my role is to provide support to the strawberry and raspberry breeding programmes by carrying out general plant husbandry duties, fruit assessments and technical assistance with plant patent applications. Additionally, I assist with maintaining the germplasm collection, performing seed extractions and micropropagating plants via meristem excision.
Simon provides field and laboratory-based technical support for the apple and cherry breeding programmes at East Malling. He is also involved with cherry epiphyte and apple canker research projects.
Dr Kanyuka leads NIAB’s strategic and applied research on the biology, detection, surveillance, epidemiology and management of diseases and pests of field crops, working with a wide range of academic and commercial partners and customers.
Professor Dan Sargent is Head of the Genetics, Genomics and Breeding department at NIAB East Malling in Kent. The department is focused on developing industry-leading varieties of strawberries, raspberries, apples and cherries, and delivering cutting edge genetics and genomics research to support variety development.
The research portfolio of the department includes:
My current research focuses on the analysis of metagenomics data to try and understand some of the complex microbial interaction in and between organisms in soil/rhizosphere/rhizoplane and plant endophytes. I am also the principal statistician for NIAB East Malling and increasingly for the wider NIAB group.
Charlotte is a group leader with interests in disease resistance characterisation on a wide range of crops and understanding how pathogens interact with hosts.
Francis is based at NIAB East Malling in the pest and pathogen ecology department .
