Sainsbury Laboratory
The Sainsbury Laboratory is a research institute located at the Norwich Research Park in Norwich, Norfolk, England, that carries out fundamental biological research and technology development on aspects of plant disease, plant disease resistance and microbial symbiosis in plants. The Sainsbury Laboratory partners with the John Innes Centre on a Plant Health Institute Strategic Program funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
History
In 1987, an agreement was signed to establish The Sainsbury Laboratory. This agreement made the laboratory a joint venture between several organizations, including the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the John Innes Foundation, the University of East Anglia, and the Agricultural and Food Research Council. Later that year, the laboratory employed its first members of staff. Then, in 1989, The Sainsbury Laboratory moved into its current building. This building was constructed alongside the John Innes Centre on the Norwich Research Park.Research
The Sainsbury Laboratory conducts research on various topics related to plant-microbe interactions. It investigates innate immune recognition in plants and the signaling and cellular changes that occur during plant-microbe interactions. Additionally, researchers at the laboratory study plant and pathogen genomics to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in plant-microbe interactions.One of the key areas of research is the identification and study of plant disease resistance genes. Another important research area is the biology of pathogen effector proteins, which play a crucial role in the interaction between plants and pathogens. With this knowledge, the laboratory employs biotechnological approaches to develop crop disease resistance. These approaches are aimed at reducing agrochemical input and the percentage of crops lost to disease.