2 February 2010
Funding to help train the crop scientists of the future
The University of Dundee and SCRI have been awarded almost £350,000 to train the next generation of crop breeders, who will help to address worldwide food shortages and deal with the impact of climate change.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have provided the funding to support students on the new MRes ‘Crops for the Future’ postgraduate masters course. The grant will nominally support 18 one-year studentships between 2010 and 2013.
Crop science is set to become increasingly important in the coming years as the UK becomes more focussed on the important issues of food security, ecosystem management, the need to reduce chemical usage, and environmental changes.
Dr Andrew Flavell, Reader in Plant Sciences at the University, and based at SCRI, explained this meant there was a need for a new generation of plant breeders to emerge.
'The growing World food crisiswill encourage young scientists to enter areas where shortages of suitably qualified scientists could otherwise create problems,' he said. 'We expect, and will encourage, graduates from the programme to become professional crop scientists who will make a significant contribution to the development of modern agriculture in the 21st Century.'
'We need to equip the crop scientists of the future with the skills, knowledge and training to deal with the challenges that climate change and other issues will bring. Crop sustainability will become an ever more important issue, and this funding from the BBSRC allows us to offer six places a year for each of the next three years.'
'As this is a postgraduate course, the students will be coming from just about any graduate plant biology background. This is an exciting joint venture between the University and SCRI, and our joint teaching approach will see talented young crop scientists emerge and fill the roles needed for future crop improvement.'
The first cohort of students will begin their studies in September 2010. The course will be taught by international leaders from both institutionsand is designed to train graduates in the key areas of crop science that will be required to underpin sustainable agriculture in the 21st century.
The students will learn about topics such as plant breeding, plant-environment interactions, pest/pathogen pathology, alongside modern molecular approaches including biofuel research and GM technologies.
Both host organisations are internationally recognised for their work in crop science, with regard to excellence in teaching, research and facilities. The College of Life Sciences at the University is the top-rated Biological Sciences department in Scotland, and one of the most highly rated departments of biology in the UK.
SCRI has a long history of plant breeding and world-class research on crop plants including barley, potatoes and raspberries, and close contacts with the crop-based commercial breeding and downstream processing industries.
More course information is available at www.lifesci.dundee.ac.uk/courses/MRes/CES/.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
