Edwige Moyroud

Dr. Edwige Moyroud is a Group Leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory and a Fellow at Queens' College, University of Cambridge. She holds positions as an Official Fellow, Niccoli Fellow in Biological Natural Sciences, and Director of Studies in Natural Sciences (Genetics, Plant Sciences, Systems Biology) at Queens' College. Her research is conducted through the Department of Plant Sciences where she supervises Part II research projects and teaches Cell and Development Biology to Part IB students.

• PhD in Plant Development (2011) from University of Grenoble and Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyon
• Masters in Cell and Molecular Biology (2006) from Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyon
• Joined Sainsbury Laboratory as Group Leader in September 2017

Dr. Moyroud's research focuses on understanding how patterns form in petals, particularly bullseye patterns commonly found in flowering plants. Her work combines biomechanical modeling, optics, genetic analysis, live-tissue imaging, and behavioral ecology to investigate how and when nanostructures develop on flower surfaces. She has developed Venice mallow (Hibiscus trionum) as a model species to study these phenomena. Her research explores how living organisms produce iridescence through minute surface structures that interact with light, creating colors independent of chemical pigments. These patterns play crucial roles in pollinator attraction and protection of pollen against UV damage.

Analysis of Dr. Moyroud's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying floral patterning. Her work spans molecular genetics, evolutionary biology, plant physiology, and biophysics, with particular emphasis on how structural color is produced in plant tissues. The research demonstrates how pattern formation at the microscale creates functional tissue architecture that has evolved through natural selection to enhance plant-pollinator interactions.

• Prize for Outstanding Contribution to College Education (2016)

Dr. Moyroud supervises undergraduate students at Queens' College and has co-supervised MSc projects and PhD rotation projects through the Department of Plant Sciences. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes using original scientific articles rather than textbooks to help students become accustomed to primary literature. She provides detailed weekly feedback to her students and closely monitors their progress throughout the academic year. Her research has been supported by various funding bodies including the European Research Council, Human Frontier Science Program, Isaac Newton Trust, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Dr. Moyroud leads the Moyroud Research Group at the Sainsbury Laboratory, which investigates pattern formation in petals. The group combines molecular, cellular, and biophysical approaches to understand how clear boundaries are established within the petal epidermis and how these patterns are modified by evolutionary mechanisms.