Synthetic plants

Description

ARIA is an R&D funding agency built to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. We empower scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of what is technologically or scientifically possible. We will reach across disciplines, sectors and institutions to shape, fund and manage projects across the R&D ecosystem, from startups to universities, to break down silos and discover new pathways. We are looking for proposals for our Synthetic Plants programme. For more info see here https://www.aria.org.uk/synthetic-plants/ Lot 1: Why this programme Representing eighty percent of the world's biomass, with scope to provide everything from food to pharmaceuticals, plants are a critical lever for addressing the dual challenges of sustainable food supply and climate change. To unlock their potential, we must accelerate the pace of agricultural innovation. Synthetic biology is already revolutionising the world of healthcare. Exploring its application to tailor the traits of plants has the potential to transform the agricultural industry, and deliver valuable benefits ranging from food to pharmaceuticals and beyond. What we're shooting for We see a vital opportunity to unlock new plant capabilities that can meet the future needs of humankind.We aim to develop synthetic chromosomes and chloroplasts that are viable in a living plant. This will move beyond what can be accomplished with gene editing and imbue plants with new functionalities, from reducing agricultural water use to protecting crop yields in uncertain conditions. Our goal: to unite expertise in synthetic biology and plant biology, opening pathways to a new generation of major crops and future-proofing our agricultural system. For more information, https://www.aria.org.uk/synthetic-plants-programme/