A 9.2m research centre at the University of Nottingham will break new ground in our understanding of plant growth and could lead to the development of drought-resistant crops for developing countries.

The Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB) will focus on cutting-edge research into plant biology particularly the little-studied area of root growth, function and response to environmental cues.

A greater understanding of plant roots, particularly how they respond to different levels of moisture, nutrients and salt in the soil, could pave the way for the development of new drought-resistant crops that can thrive in arid areas and coastal margins of the developing world.

Because it is difficult to study roots as all their growth occurs below ground level scientists will develop a virtual root using the latest mathematical modelling techniques. By developing computer models of the root that exactly mimic biological processes, they will be able to observe what is happening at every stage from the molecular scale upwards.

Research in this area is crucial because the roots dictate life or death for a plant through uptake of water and nutrients, and response to environmental factors.

The CPIB, which is based at The University of Nottinghams Sutton Bonington Campus, has its official opening on July 2, 2007.

Professor Charlie Hodgman, Principal Director of the CPIB, said: CPIB aims to set a prime example of how multidisciplinary teams can bring novel ideas to and discoveries in crucial aspects of plant science.

CPIB brings together experts from four different Schools at the University Biosciences, Computer Science & IT, Mathematical Sciences, and Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering.

They will create a virtual root of the simple weed Arabidopsis, a species of the Brassica family routinely used for molecular genetic studies. Expertise in Arabidopsis research is already we
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Contact: Professor Charlie Hodgman
44-011-595-16290
University of Nottingham
27-Jun-2007