Janneke Balk

Dr. Janneke Balk is a Synergy Reader at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and a Project Leader at the John Innes Centre, with a joint appointment between both institutions. Her research focuses on plant iron homeostasis, particularly the mechanisms governing iron uptake, distribution, and storage in plants. She leads projects aimed at improving iron and zinc biofortification in crops like wheat and pea.

Education:

• D.Phil. in Biological Sciences, University of Oxford (1999)
• B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology, Wageningen University (1996)

Research Interests:

• Iron sensing and regulation in plants
• Iron transport in plant-microbe symbioses (e.g., legume-Rhizobium interactions)
• Engineering crops for enhanced mineral bioavailability
• Mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly

Grants and Projects:

• CROPNUT: Increasing Iron in Cereals (BBSRC, 2017–2021)
• Functional Characterization of Iron Regulator Sensor (IRS) Proteins (BBSRC, 2016–2018)
• High Sensitivity Elemental Mass Spectrometry Facility (BBSRC, 2018–2019)

Labs and Collaborations: The Balk Lab collaborates with institutions like the University of Cambridge and the John Innes Centre, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to plant nutrition and metabolic regulation.