Professor Ian A Graham FRS

Research

Biography & Research Overview

Professor Ian Graham holds the Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics and serves as the Academic Director of BioYorkshire. Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) and a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), his research focuses on the genomic architecture and natural product pathway discovery in plants.

The Graham laboratory bridges fundamental genetic discovery with global industrial and humanitarian applications. By combining forward genetics, macro-evolutionary comparative genomics, and synthetic biology, the group deciphers the organisational logic of complex plant metabolic networks. This fundamental pipeline allows the lab to unravel how plants manufacture high-value medicinal and industrial molecules, creating robust biological toolkits that replace petrochemical dependency and secure global pharmaceutical supply chains.

Core Research Themes

Explore our specific research programmes via the relevant CNAP web pages:

1. Opium Poppy Genomics & Alkaloid Pathway Discovery Our research maps the genomic and evolutionary architecture governing Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid (BIA) production in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Landmark discoveries from the laboratory include the characterisation of the 10-gene cluster controlling noscapine synthesis, the discovery of the STORR gene fusion that dictates the gateway to morphinan-based analgesics, and the co-leadership of the first chromosome-level opium poppy genome assembly. This work provides the foundational genetic insights and molecular toolkits required for the precise molecular breeding of elite, specialised pharmaceutical crop varieties in partnership with industry.
2. Bioactive Terpenes for Industry: The UoY-Croda Prosperity Partnership As part of the regional BioYorkshire green transition agenda, we lead a major BBSRC Bioscience Prosperity Partnership with Croda Europe Ltd. This joint venture operates as a direct translation pipeline, where our upstream gene discovery and metabolic pathway reconstructions of diverse terpene families are converted into optimised heterologous plant and microbial manufacturing hosts. This work delivers sustainable, bio-based chemical platforms for high-performance use across crop care, healthcare, and advanced personal care sectors.
3. Model Discovery Engines & The C-SPIRIT Platform We utilise the petty spurge, Euphorbia peplus, as a compact diploid model system to crack the core metabolic principles of complex, polycyclic macrocyclic diterpenoids. This pipeline serves as a foundational gene-discovery engine for C-SPIRIT (Center for Sustainable Plant Innovation and Resilience through International Teamwork), an international consortium funded by global bodies including the NSF and UKRI.
4. Molecular Breeding of Multipurpose Industrial Hemp Utilising fast-track molecular breeding, our laboratory develops elite multipurpose industrial hemp varieties targeted at food, nutrition, and industrial processing markets. Supported by the CHCx3 project, our research optimizes these oilseed platforms by transferring high-value fatty acid traits into monoecious cultivars, reducing native cannabinoids, and enhancing overall seed size and agronomic yield.
5. Legacy Global Impact: The Artemisia annua Breeding Project Our long-term molecular breeding research on the medicinal crop Artemisia annua stands as a global benchmark for translational plant genetics. By genetically mapping the traits responsible for the production of the sesquiterpene artemisinin, our lab developed high-yielding, non-GM F1 seed hybrids. Distributed at scale in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, these hybrids helped stabilise the global supply chain and directly enabled the production of over 60 million anti-malarial treatments globally.

Key Professional Roles & Leadership

• Academic Director, BioYorkshire: Leading an ambitious major initiative to accelerate translation of bio-based research into green economic growth and regional decarbonisation.
• Science Trustee, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Including Chair of the Science Advisory Committee.
• Member, European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO)
• Fellow, The Royal Society (FRS): Including Chair of Industry Fellowships Joint Panel.

Teaching and Scholarship

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My teaching and scholarship activities mostly rely on examples from my own research to communicate the importance of asking the right questions in order to advance our understanding of biochemical processes. I emphasise the importance of fundamental understanding of how plants and microbes produce various chemicals and materials so that biotechnology based approaches can be used for the benefit of industry, society and the environment.

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Higher plants produce an amazing array of chemicals that they use throughout their life cycle for various purposes including defence against pathogens and herbivores and attraction of pollinators. Many of these chemicals are bioactive and human societies have developed them for many uses including medicines, flavours and fragrances. My lectures focus on understanding how some of the world’s most important medicinal plants make drugs such as artemisinin, the main cure for malaria and codeine, one of the most effective painkillers. The use of genetic approaches to dissect biochemical processes is introduced and the potential of synthetic biology and industrial biotechnology are considered with examples from my own research and the literature.

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Projects offered are always related to ongoing biochemistry and molecular genetics based research in the Graham laboratory. Bioinformatics plays a major role in assisting our research and we are currently offering projects that are focussed on analysing genome assemblies from medicinal plant species using various algorithms that allow novel gene discovery and gene cluster detection.