Programmable Plants
Plants have paved the way for human existence and hold the key to solving some of our most pressing challenges, from food insecurity to environmental degradation. Programmable plants could secure our future on Earth, providing not just food, but a sustainable and thriving biosphere for future generations.
Core beliefs
The core beliefs that underpin this opportunity space:
Today’s agricultural system is struggling to address the twin challenges of an unsustainable food supply and an unstable climate → we need a paradigm shift to accelerate agricultural innovation.
Plants represent 80% of Earth’s biomass and are rapidly, cost-effectively and widely distributed across our planet → plants represent an ideal technological platform to provide low-cost, sustainable resources at scale.
Advances in gene editing and genetic modification are revolutionising our ability to tailor the traits of organisms → we can predictably and efficiently develop new plants to provide all of society with abundant and sustainable resources: food, fuel, medicine, shelter, and beyond.
Observations
Some signposts as to why we see this area as important, underserved, and ripe.
Programme spotlight: Synthetic Plants
Representing eighty percent of the world’s biomass, plants are a critical lever for addressing the twin challenges of food insecurity and climate change. Synthetic biology is already revolutionising the world of healthcare but could transform agriculture if applied to tailoring plant traits, and benefits could extend from food to pharmaceuticals and beyond.
We aim to develop synthetic chromosomes and chloroplasts that are viable in a living plant. This will move beyond gene editing to imbue plants with new functionalities, from reducing agricultural water use to protecting crop yields in uncertain conditions.
Backed by £62.4m, this programme aims to unite expertise in synthetic biology and plant biology to catalyse a new generation of major crops that are more productive, resilient, and sustainable.
This programme is currently closed for applications.
Seed spotlight
We've launched a call for opportunity seed funding; click below to find out more + apply.
Meet the team
Angie Burnett is a plant biologist and has spent the last decade focusing on understanding the power of plants to solve some of our most pressing challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and environmental degradation. Previously, Angie was a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge.
"Plants provide us with a wealth of natural resources, and the future possibilities are endless. This opportunity space will uncover new ways to interact with plants, helping plants to help people better."
Meet the team
As a plant scientist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge, Fabrizio has dedicated the last ten years to furthering our understanding of plant biology and seeing it translated to impactful products. Prior to joining ARIA, Fabrizio spent 5 years working in early stage technology startups, first at Synthace, where he was consulting Pharma and Crop Protection companies on lab automation and design of experiments, and more recently in the leadership team at Gardin, where he led the plant science team and headed delivery of the company R&D product offering.
Meet the team
Nivashinee has more than five years’ experience in programme management and project delivery. She led high profile projects at a leading global technology consultancy and has worked within delivery management in a variety of industries, ranging from edtech and life sciences to the aviation aftermarket. Nivashinee supports ARIA as an Operating Partner from Pace.
Our other opportunity spaces
Our opportunity spaces are designed as an open invitation for researchers from across disciplines and institutions to learn with us and contribute – a variety of perspectives are just what we need to change what’s possible.