Professor Alex Webb

I am a plant cell biologist who investigates circadian rhythms

We are interested in how plants measure time, and how this ability can be used to improve crop production. Our laboratory uses molecular, physiological and modelling approaches to understand the 24 h rhythms of plant cell biology. Our contributions include discovery that circadian clocks increase plant growth, identification of calcium signalling systems as part of the circadian clocks of plants, discovery of a role for photosynthetic sugars in setting circadian time and characterising the circadian clocks of wheat. We have proposed the concept of chronoculture, using circadian biology for crop improvement. We are currently working with international partners and industry to improve crop production in controlled environments on Earth and in Space.