Johnathan Napier
@johnathan-n.bsky.social
Metabolic engineer & plant biotechnologist. Interested in omega-3s and early 90s EDM.
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist…
Please register to join this webinar on the 24th Nov to hear about research recently published in Plant Biotechnology Journal by Ed Cahoon and colleagues at UNL.
Please register to join this webinar on the 24th Nov to hear about research recently published in Plant Biotechnology Journal by Ed Cahoon and colleagues at UNL.
November 15, 2025 at 10:34 AM
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist…
Please register to join this webinar on the 24th Nov to hear about research recently published in Plant Biotechnology Journal by Ed Cahoon and colleagues at UNL.
Please register to join this webinar on the 24th Nov to hear about research recently published in Plant Biotechnology Journal by Ed Cahoon and colleagues at UNL.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A surprising diversion for me - something that isn't about omega-3s. But an interesting and genuinely puzzling excursion into Arabidopsis forward genetics and promoter-reporter gene regulation. Credit to Michaela Matthes for driving this project.
A surprising diversion for me - something that isn't about omega-3s. But an interesting and genuinely puzzling excursion into Arabidopsis forward genetics and promoter-reporter gene regulation. Credit to Michaela Matthes for driving this project.
Mutations in components of the TREX-2 complex result in misexpression of the Kelch-domain F-Box protein KFB39 promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis thaliana gene At2g44130 encodes a Kelch-like domain F-box protein designated KFB39 and was previously shown to be specifically expressed on exposure to the oxylipin cis -jasmone. In order ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:36 PM
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A surprising diversion for me - something that isn't about omega-3s. But an interesting and genuinely puzzling excursion into Arabidopsis forward genetics and promoter-reporter gene regulation. Credit to Michaela Matthes for driving this project.
A surprising diversion for me - something that isn't about omega-3s. But an interesting and genuinely puzzling excursion into Arabidopsis forward genetics and promoter-reporter gene regulation. Credit to Michaela Matthes for driving this project.
On behalf of Plant Biotechnology Journal, very happy to support this meeting. I attended Plastid Preview meetings as an ECR (quite some time ago!) and they are vibrant and productive events.
🌿 A big thank you to Plant Biotechnology Journal for sponsoring the Poster Session at #PlastidPreview2025! 🧬✨
Your support helps early career researchers share their exciting work and spark new collaborations.
@sebiology.bsky.social
@johnathan-n.bsky.social
Your support helps early career researchers share their exciting work and spark new collaborations.
@sebiology.bsky.social
@johnathan-n.bsky.social
September 4, 2025 at 10:31 AM
On behalf of Plant Biotechnology Journal, very happy to support this meeting. I attended Plastid Preview meetings as an ECR (quite some time ago!) and they are vibrant and productive events.
Great to see our collaborative study with Ed Cahoon and colleagues on the front cover of PBJ, describing our successful efforts to engineer the accumulation of astaxanthin in GM camelina seeds. Astaxanthin is a ketocarotenoid that is a powerful antioxidant & used in aquaculture feeds as a pigment.
July 31, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Great to see our collaborative study with Ed Cahoon and colleagues on the front cover of PBJ, describing our successful efforts to engineer the accumulation of astaxanthin in GM camelina seeds. Astaxanthin is a ketocarotenoid that is a powerful antioxidant & used in aquaculture feeds as a pigment.
In a great collaboration led by Ed Cahoon at UNL we engineered Camelina to make the pigment astaxanthin. We used genes from the Adonis plant - picture below gives a clue why! Successfully field trialled in UK & USA. Helping to make aquaculure more sustainable. www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/camelin...
June 6, 2025 at 10:25 AM
In a great collaboration led by Ed Cahoon at UNL we engineered Camelina to make the pigment astaxanthin. We used genes from the Adonis plant - picture below gives a clue why! Successfully field trialled in UK & USA. Helping to make aquaculure more sustainable. www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/camelin...
It was a pleasure to be part of the team that delivered this study, led by colleagues at Malaga (and including Noemi Ruiz Lopez who used to work on our omega-3 project). @rothamsted.bsky.social contributed with our world-class lipidomics capability, delivered by @lvm.bsky.social and Richard Haslam.
An international collaborative study has identified a new molecular mechanism that plants utilize to survive under conditions of continuous stress by recycling signalling molecules @ihsmumacsic.bsky.social🌱🌧️☀️
Read the full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/recycli...
Read the full story 👇
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/recycli...
June 5, 2025 at 7:17 AM
It was a pleasure to be part of the team that delivered this study, led by colleagues at Malaga (and including Noemi Ruiz Lopez who used to work on our omega-3 project). @rothamsted.bsky.social contributed with our world-class lipidomics capability, delivered by @lvm.bsky.social and Richard Haslam.
In addition to our big 4000m2 GM camelina trial at Suffolk, last week we also sowed some smaller plots on the @rothamsted.bsky.social Farm in Harpenden. This trial has a range of traits & combines GE with GM approaches. Nice pics by Lihua Han of the ISPG GM field trial team & site. Blue skies too!
May 26, 2025 at 10:06 AM
In addition to our big 4000m2 GM camelina trial at Suffolk, last week we also sowed some smaller plots on the @rothamsted.bsky.social Farm in Harpenden. This trial has a range of traits & combines GE with GM approaches. Nice pics by Lihua Han of the ISPG GM field trial team & site. Blue skies too!
Another GM camelina field trial successfully drilled this Saturday, under the azure skies of Suffolk. The @rothamsted.bsky.social Farm team of Mark, Samuil & Lewis did a great job in the hot & dusty conditions, but that's what testing in the real world is like. Thx also to Lihua Han for pix.
May 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Another GM camelina field trial successfully drilled this Saturday, under the azure skies of Suffolk. The @rothamsted.bsky.social Farm team of Mark, Samuil & Lewis did a great job in the hot & dusty conditions, but that's what testing in the real world is like. Thx also to Lihua Han for pix.
Important and impactful data from a joint study using our GM camelina oil. Great collaboration with University of Stirling, BioMar & NTNU in Norway. Our novel oil really works as a sustainable replacement for fish oil - exciting to see this confirmed again!
www.fishfarmingexpert.com/fish-welfare...
www.fishfarmingexpert.com/fish-welfare...
Same weight, more omega-3: rainbow trout thrive on GM camelina oil
A diet containing omega-3 and astaxanthin that were both derived from the same genetically modified ...
www.fishfarmingexpert.com
May 4, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Important and impactful data from a joint study using our GM camelina oil. Great collaboration with University of Stirling, BioMar & NTNU in Norway. Our novel oil really works as a sustainable replacement for fish oil - exciting to see this confirmed again!
www.fishfarmingexpert.com/fish-welfare...
www.fishfarmingexpert.com/fish-welfare...
Very happy to have contributed to this article. It's a topic I am very passionate about. We need to see significantly more translational and impact from all the investments in fundamental research. It is weird that many primary publications claim a big breakthrough, and then, nothing more happens!
📜 Challenges of translating Arabidopsis insights into crops
🧑🔬 @cristobaluauy.bsky.social, @hildenelissen.bsky.social, @johnathan-n.bsky.social, et al.
📔 @theplantcell.bsky.social
🔗 academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#️⃣ #PlantScience #Agriculture #PlantGMOs #Crops #PlantNGTs #PlantBreeding
🧑🔬 @cristobaluauy.bsky.social, @hildenelissen.bsky.social, @johnathan-n.bsky.social, et al.
📔 @theplantcell.bsky.social
🔗 academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#️⃣ #PlantScience #Agriculture #PlantGMOs #Crops #PlantNGTs #PlantBreeding
Challenges of translating Arabidopsis insights into crops
Abstract. The significance of research conducted on Arabidopsis thaliana cannot be overstated. This focus issue showcases how insights from Arabidopsis hav
academic.oup.com
April 24, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Very happy to have contributed to this article. It's a topic I am very passionate about. We need to see significantly more translational and impact from all the investments in fundamental research. It is weird that many primary publications claim a big breakthrough, and then, nothing more happens!
Reposted by Johnathan Napier
Thank you to @johnathan-n.bsky.social from @rothamsted.bsky.social for visiting @ljmuofficial.bsky.social today. His talk on #plant #biotechnology showed how to tackle a global problem and develop a solution. Now there are plants producing beneficial oils for the benefit of society
April 9, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Thank you to @johnathan-n.bsky.social from @rothamsted.bsky.social for visiting @ljmuofficial.bsky.social today. His talk on #plant #biotechnology showed how to tackle a global problem and develop a solution. Now there are plants producing beneficial oils for the benefit of society
Here's an update on our camelina transformation pipeline. Because we use a visual marker (DsRed) we can chip the primary transgenic seeds for non-destructive analyses. Compare that with other systems that require extended tissue culture stages, and camelina is a clear winner!
March 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Here's an update on our camelina transformation pipeline. Because we use a visual marker (DsRed) we can chip the primary transgenic seeds for non-destructive analyses. Compare that with other systems that require extended tissue culture stages, and camelina is a clear winner!
This should be an exciting session, exploring multiple aspects of translational and predictive biology. @meganlmatthews.bsky.social is the lead organiser and I am happy to provide additional support. Also pleased to acknowledge the support of PBJ for this session. See you all in Antwerp!
We have some great talks lined up for this session including Prof. Christine Raines, Dr. Wolfgang Busch, Dr. René Geurts, and Dr. Sanu Shameer!
Abstracts due March 7!
Abstracts due March 7!
Join Jonathan at the #SEBconference in Antwerp.
Book your place now ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
Submit your abstract now ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
Check out our plant sessions ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
More information ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
Book your place now ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
Submit your abstract now ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
Check out our plant sessions ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
More information ⬇️
sebiology.org/events/seb-a...
March 5, 2025 at 10:35 PM
This should be an exciting session, exploring multiple aspects of translational and predictive biology. @meganlmatthews.bsky.social is the lead organiser and I am happy to provide additional support. Also pleased to acknowledge the support of PBJ for this session. See you all in Antwerp!
Reposted by Johnathan Napier
Rothamsted welcomes latest advance of UK Government Precision Breeding Legislation. "This Act will make life much easier for creators and developers working with precision bred - specifically gene edited - crops" @johnathan-n.bsky.social
Full story: www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
Full story: www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
February 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Rothamsted welcomes latest advance of UK Government Precision Breeding Legislation. "This Act will make life much easier for creators and developers working with precision bred - specifically gene edited - crops" @johnathan-n.bsky.social
Full story: www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
Full story: www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
Here at @rothamsted.bsky.social we are fortunate to have a very large area of GM glasshouse. Here we are growing up enough plants to transform 18 different constructs, optimising the accumulation of EPA&DHA omega-3 fish oils. Camelina is the ideal crop for such an iterative approach.
February 22, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Here at @rothamsted.bsky.social we are fortunate to have a very large area of GM glasshouse. Here we are growing up enough plants to transform 18 different constructs, optimising the accumulation of EPA&DHA omega-3 fish oils. Camelina is the ideal crop for such an iterative approach.
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
Great that so many @rothamsted.bsky.social people contributed to making this event a success, interacting with MPs & policy makers. Also almost certainly the first time anyone has brought gene edited seeds in the House of Commons!
Great that so many @rothamsted.bsky.social people contributed to making this event a success, interacting with MPs & policy makers. Also almost certainly the first time anyone has brought gene edited seeds in the House of Commons!
Rothamsted science showcased in UK Parliament | Rothamsted Research
Research staff involved in exhibits and events for Agri-science Week
www.rothamsted.ac.uk
February 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
Great that so many @rothamsted.bsky.social people contributed to making this event a success, interacting with MPs & policy makers. Also almost certainly the first time anyone has brought gene edited seeds in the House of Commons!
Great that so many @rothamsted.bsky.social people contributed to making this event a success, interacting with MPs & policy makers. Also almost certainly the first time anyone has brought gene edited seeds in the House of Commons!
I don't get into the lab much (to the immense relief of everyone else!) but this afternoon I was screening some of our high Omega-3 lines for the presence of the DsRed marker - this event is homozygous & stable, making lots of EPA after growing in the field last year. That's a success!!
January 22, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I don't get into the lab much (to the immense relief of everyone else!) but this afternoon I was screening some of our high Omega-3 lines for the presence of the DsRed marker - this event is homozygous & stable, making lots of EPA after growing in the field last year. That's a success!!
Happy Holidays! Here's a rather unseasonal pic from the garden today. I always associated Primulas with Easter, but climate change has altered all that (and not in a good way).
December 23, 2024 at 11:08 AM
Happy Holidays! Here's a rather unseasonal pic from the garden today. I always associated Primulas with Easter, but climate change has altered all that (and not in a good way).
Just because it is the festive season doesn't mean we stop our experiments - lots of GM and GE camelina plants growing in our glasshouses. Happy Holidays!
December 12, 2024 at 7:45 PM
Just because it is the festive season doesn't mean we stop our experiments - lots of GM and GE camelina plants growing in our glasshouses. Happy Holidays!
Reposted by Johnathan Napier
An investigation by SSA into a recent UK Govt report charting further declines in farmland bird numbers in Britain raises serious questions about the scientific basis on which these statistics are collected and interpreted.
Find out more 👇
www.scienceforsustainableagriculture.com/buttonpearsa...
Find out more 👇
www.scienceforsustainableagriculture.com/buttonpearsa...
ButtonPearsallRidley | SSA
Are Defra Ministers being misled by campaigning NGOs over farmland bird numbers?
www.scienceforsustainableagriculture.com
December 6, 2024 at 3:32 PM
An investigation by SSA into a recent UK Govt report charting further declines in farmland bird numbers in Britain raises serious questions about the scientific basis on which these statistics are collected and interpreted.
Find out more 👇
www.scienceforsustainableagriculture.com/buttonpearsa...
Find out more 👇
www.scienceforsustainableagriculture.com/buttonpearsa...
A word about my profile pic (with the 'nice to see you.' strapline, appropriate for Bsky!) - I took this photo in May in Bedminster, Bristol, when I was part of a panel discussing food security (in a pub!). I lived & worked in Bristol for 12 years, and it's where my omega-3 project was born.
December 1, 2024 at 3:13 PM
A word about my profile pic (with the 'nice to see you.' strapline, appropriate for Bsky!) - I took this photo in May in Bedminster, Bristol, when I was part of a panel discussing food security (in a pub!). I lived & worked in Bristol for 12 years, and it's where my omega-3 project was born.
Since everyone seems to be joining the Bluesky community, here's a photo of my GM field trial under what passes for a blue sky in the UK. As a research community, we need to do more experiments in the field, especially if we are making claims about potential impacts etc. Just go outside!
November 19, 2024 at 3:27 PM
Since everyone seems to be joining the Bluesky community, here's a photo of my GM field trial under what passes for a blue sky in the UK. As a research community, we need to do more experiments in the field, especially if we are making claims about potential impacts etc. Just go outside!
Why the regulation of gene editing in the UK needs to be fully enabling for both crops and farmed animals.
www.theguardian.com/science/2024...
www.theguardian.com/science/2024...
Scientists dismayed as UK ministers clear way for gene editing of crops - but not animals
Advocates urge government to allow ‘precision breeding’ to combat disease, but RSPCA warns of ethical dangers
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2024 at 1:40 PM
Why the regulation of gene editing in the UK needs to be fully enabling for both crops and farmed animals.
www.theguardian.com/science/2024...
www.theguardian.com/science/2024...
Great to see the UK's new Labour government commit to enabling the Precision Breeding Act (2023) - this will make the regulatory path to market for GE crops much clearer and straightforward. An excellent first step in building a GE&GM-based bioeconomy.
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/uk-gove...
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/uk-gove...
UK government commits to implementation of Precision Breeding Act | Rothamsted Research
Move could lead to increased research and greater investment in new genetic technologies
www.rothamsted.ac.uk
October 1, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Great to see the UK's new Labour government commit to enabling the Precision Breeding Act (2023) - this will make the regulatory path to market for GE crops much clearer and straightforward. An excellent first step in building a GE&GM-based bioeconomy.
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/uk-gove...
www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/uk-gove...
Colour my Life.
GM Camelina seeds engineered with different traits, including ketocarotenoids and betalain. Using metabolic engineering to do something useful doesn't mean it can't look great too!
GM Camelina seeds engineered with different traits, including ketocarotenoids and betalain. Using metabolic engineering to do something useful doesn't mean it can't look great too!
September 11, 2024 at 11:24 PM
Colour my Life.
GM Camelina seeds engineered with different traits, including ketocarotenoids and betalain. Using metabolic engineering to do something useful doesn't mean it can't look great too!
GM Camelina seeds engineered with different traits, including ketocarotenoids and betalain. Using metabolic engineering to do something useful doesn't mean it can't look great too!