Name
Cathie Martin
Role
Co-PI (UKRI)
Professor Cathie Martin’s research focuses on using plant science to improve human diet and health, with particular expertise in biofortification and plant metabolic engineering to enhance the nutritional content of foods. Much of her work centres on enriching the nutrient profiles of crops, such as tomatoes, by increasing levels of compounds like resveratrol and anthocyanins. These biofortified foods have been tested in intervention studies to evaluate health benefits, and additional research has shown that these modifications improve shelf-life and reduce susceptibility to pathogens like Botrytis cinerea.
Cathie’s research integrates plant science, clinical studies, and epidemiology to address global challenges such as chronic disease prevention and healthy ageing. She collaborates with plant breeders and metabolic engineers to develop crops fortified with bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, which are the primary active ingredients in many so-called “superfoods.” Her fundamental research includes identifying genes that regulate plant cell shaping and investigating how specialised cells help plants adapt to their environment. She has also explored traits like flower colour and shape that influence pollinator attraction and developed genetic screens to identify crops free of toxins linked to nutritional diseases such as konzo. Cathie’s contributions extend to pioneering studies on purple tomatoes, blood oranges, and natural products in plants.
