Ian A Graham

Professor Ian A Graham FRS is the Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics in the Department of Biology, University of York, and leads the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP). His research focuses on plant metabolic genetics, particularly the biosynthesis of medicinal and industrial compounds in crops such as Artemisia annua (artemisinin), opium poppy (morphine, noscapine), and industrial hemp (fatty acids).

His educational background is not detailed in the source text, but his extensive research portfolio and leadership role suggest a PhD and postdoctoral training in plant biochemistry or molecular genetics.

Graham’s research centers on plant specialized metabolism, using biochemical genetics to dissect pathways for terpenoids (artemisinin, diterpenoids) and alkaloids (noscapine, morphine). His work has enabled the development of high-yielding Artemisia annua hybrids for robust artemisinin supply and high-oleic hemp varieties. He integrates genomics, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics to discover gene clusters and engineer metabolic pathways. His team also studies seed oil mobilization and lipid metabolism in model systems like Arabidopsis.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on terpenoid biosynthesis, particularly diterpenoids in Euphorbia species, sesquiterpenes in Artemisia, and the evolution of metabolic gene clusters. There is also ongoing work on alkaloid pathways in Papaver, enzyme discovery, and metabolic engineering in heterologous hosts like Nicotiana benthamiana.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)

Advising and Grants: Graham leads a research group with numerous publications involving collaborators and postdocs. He has secured major research funding from UKRI BBSRC, Defra, Innovate UK, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Medicines for Malaria Venture, and industrial partners such as Croda and Sun Pharmaceutical. His Prosperity Partnership with Croda and involvement in the Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCx3) highlight strong industry and policy engagement.

Labs and Teams: He directs the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) at the University of York, a research hub focused on sustainable crop improvement using biotechnology. His lab combines molecular genetics, biochemistry, and bioinformatics to advance plant natural product research.