Interviews with Scientists

This collection of short interviews with scientists introduces contemporary science topics through conversation with some of the UK's leading researchers.

Each of the videos is accompanied with a teachers' summary, plus student questions and answers.

Plant-derived medicines to cure cancer	Plant survival strategies: hormones and responses
This 5-minute video interview with Professor Sarah O’Connor from the John Innes Centre, introduces her work to find new molecules that can successfully treat cancer. There are a number of plant derived medicines that have played a huge role in medicine. For example, taxol, isolated form the Yew tree, is used to treat a variety of different cancers. However, plant natural products are expensive and very time-consuming to develop. They could be exploited more rapidly if we develop better understanding of plant metabolism. This is an interesting way to introduce students to biochemistry, and to encourage them to take a synoptic approach to their biology curriculum, by bringing together plant science and medicine. View the resource	In this 5-minute video interview, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, discusses the different survival strategies of plants and animals. Does putting down roots beat running away? Can plants make decisions about what they do? This video gets students to develop their understanding of the role of plant hormones in an intriguing context. View the resource
Saving the world's forests	Feeding sub-Saharan Africa
Find out how one scientist turned his student project into a career that’s allowed him to travel the world and play a role in saving the world’s forests. In this 5-minute video Dr Ed Mitchard, of the University of Edinburgh, introduces the use of new technologies in conservation, specifically the role of REDD+ in preventing deforestation across the world. View the resource	This 10-minute video interview with Professor Giles Oldroyd offers a thought-provoking take on the topic of fertilisers and nitrogen fixation. In the west, we’ve spent 50 years relying on increasing food yields by adding nitrogen-based fertilisers to the soils. But it’s not an approach that seems to be working for the millions of smallholder farmers across western and central Africa. Local farmers, agronomists and scientists from across the world are working together to find innovative solutions. View the resource
How big data is transforming biology	Photosynthesis to feed the world?
The human genome project. High-throughput genotyping. Big data is in the news - but what are the implications for the world of biology? In this video, expert Professor David Salt of the University of Aberdeen talks about his views. View the resource	Can a more efficient form of photosynthesis in rice feed the world’s growing population? Professor Jane Langdale of the University of Oxford leads a team of scientists seeking to increase food production through research into the fundamentals of photosynthesis. In this video she discusses her work. View the resource
Omega 3	The mystery of the evolution of stomata
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for human health. But how can we source them sustainably? Professor Johnathan Napier of Rothamstead Research, talks about the role that Omega-3 fatty acids play in our diets, how we currently source them from algae via fish, and how he hopes to use genetic engineering to breed plants that produce these molecules in their oils. View the resource	We take stomata for granted – they’re on every leaf around us, and without them the world wouldn’t breathe. They don’t just respond to daylight and atmospheric humidity: new research shows that plants slam their stomata shut against invading bacteria. But when and how did this complex ability evolve? The fossil record leaves us with a fascinating puzzle. In this 5 minute talk, Professor Alistair Hetherington of Bristol University discusses the mysterious evolution of stomata. View the resource
Computer modelling, ecology and climate change	Coffee history and survival
In this 5-minute video interview, Dr Drew Purves discusses how his research can help us predict the effects of climate change on natural ecosystems, and develop strategies to address it. This video introduces the concept of mathematical modelling in biology, and explains its uses in a clear and relevant context. View the resource	This 5-minute video interview introduces students to the history and economics of coffee and the impact of a plant pathogen on coffee production. Dr Charlie Clutterbuck discusses the long and strange history behind coffee – how a small plant from Ethiopia dominated the world, and why it’s under threat today. View the resource
GFP and reporter proteins	Genetics, genomics and food security
This video interview with Professor John Christie of the University of Glasgow, introduces students to fluorescent reporter proteins and their importance to our understanding of cell biology. GFP – the protein that allows jellyfish to glow their astonishing luminescent green – changed the way we understand biology. Transferred into plant, bacterial or animal cells, GFP allows them to glow when illuminated by blue light. But what are the limitations – and where next for ‘reporter proteins’? View the resource	This video interview with Dr Cristobal Uauy of the John Innes Centre introduces post-16 students to contemporary genomics and food security. Dr Cristobal Uauy is passionate about helping the world’s poorest farmers increase the amount of crops they get from their fields. He’s moved from South America to Norfolk to use the new understanding of the wheat genome to create higher yielding wheat varieties. In this video, he explains how his group may be on the verge of a breakthrough. View the resource

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Interviews with Scientists

Plant-derived medicines to cure cancer

Plant survival strategies: hormones and responses

This 5-minute video interview with Professor Sarah O’Connor from the John Innes Centre, introduces her work to find new molecules that can successfully treat cancer.

This is an interesting way to introduce students to biochemistry, and to encourage them to take a synoptic approach to their biology curriculum, by bringing together plant science and medicine.

In this 5-minute video interview, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, discusses the different survival strategies of plants and animals.

Does putting down roots beat running away?

Can plants make decisions about what they do?

This video gets students to develop their understanding of the role of plant hormones in an intriguing context.

Saving the world's forests

Feeding sub-Saharan Africa

Find out how one scientist turned his student project into a career that’s allowed him to travel the world and play a role in saving the world’s forests.

In this 5-minute video Dr Ed Mitchard, of the University of Edinburgh, introduces the use of new technologies in conservation, specifically the role of REDD+ in preventing deforestation across the world.

This 10-minute video interview with Professor Giles Oldroyd offers a thought-provoking take on the topic of fertilisers and nitrogen fixation. In the west, we’ve spent 50 years relying on increasing food yields by adding nitrogen-based fertilisers to the soils.

But it’s not an approach that seems to be working for the millions of smallholder farmers across western and central Africa. Local farmers, agronomists and scientists from across the world are working together to find innovative solutions.

How big data is transforming biology

Photosynthesis to feed the world?

The human genome project. High-throughput genotyping. Big data is in the news - but what are the implications for the world of biology? In this video, expert Professor David Salt of the University of Aberdeen talks about his views.

Can a more efficient form of photosynthesis in rice feed the world’s growing population?

Professor Jane Langdale of the University of Oxford leads a team of scientists seeking to increase food production through research into the fundamentals of photosynthesis. In this video she discusses her work.

Omega 3

The mystery of the evolution of stomata

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for human health. But how can we source them sustainably?

Professor Johnathan Napier of Rothamstead Research, talks about the role that Omega-3 fatty acids play in our diets, how we currently source them from algae via fish, and how he hopes to use genetic engineering to breed plants that produce these molecules in their oils.

We take stomata for granted – they’re on every leaf around us, and without them the world wouldn’t breathe. They don’t just respond to daylight and atmospheric humidity: new research shows that plants slam their stomata shut against invading bacteria.

But when and how did this complex ability evolve? The fossil record leaves us with a fascinating puzzle. In this 5 minute talk, Professor Alistair Hetherington of Bristol University discusses the mysterious evolution of stomata.

Computer modelling, ecology and climate change

Coffee history and survival

GFP and reporter proteins

Genetics, genomics and food security

This 10-minute video interview with Professor Giles Oldroyd offers a thought-provoking take on the topic of fertilisers and nitrogen fixation.
In the west, we’ve spent 50 years relying on increasing food yields by adding nitrogen-based fertilisers to the soils.