People

Based in the Department of Biology, the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products draws on expertise from the department and across the University.

Use the searchable table below to explore the skills and expertise of our staff and researchers.

Name Expertise Contact Details

Professor Ian Bancroft

CNAP Chair of Plant Genomics

  • Genome evolution
  • Food security
  • Industrial biotechnology

+44 (0)1904 328778
ian.bancroft@york.ac.uk

Professor Neil Bruce (Director)

CNAP Director and Chair in Biotechnology

  • Environmental biotechnology
  • Biocatalysis
  • Biorefining

+44 (0)1904 328777
neil.bruce@york.ac.uk 

Professor Katherine Denby

Professor of Sustainable Crop Production

  • Plant biology
  • Food security 
  • Agricultural biotechnology

+44 (0)1904 328751 
katherine.denby@york.ac.uk 

Professor Ian Graham FRS

Academic Director of BioYorkshire, and Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics

  • Plant biology
  • Biochemical genetics
  • Agricultural biotechnology
  • Medicinal crops
  • Synthetic biology

+44 (0)1904 328750 
ian.graham@york.ac.uk

Dr Leonardo Gomez 

  • Plant biology
  • Biorefining
  • Industrial biotechnology
  • Seaweed valorisation

+44 (0)1904 328718
leonardo.gomez@york.ac.uk 

Dr Andrea Harper

  • Plant biology
  • Food security 
  • Agricultural biotechnology
+44 (0)1904 328670 

Dr Benjamin R. Lichman

  • Synthetic biology platforms for natural product production
  • Industrial biocatalysis
  • Enzyme mechanism
  • The formation of metabolic gene clusters 
+44 (0)1904 328690


Professor Luke Mackinder 

CNAP Chair in Algal Cell and Molecular Biology

  • Carbon fixation in algae and cyanobacteria
  • Systems and synthetic biology 

 +44(0)1904 328984 

Dr Liz Rylott

  • Plant biology
  • Industrial biotechnology
  • Plant-based environmental remediation
  • Agromining

+44 (0)1904 328754
liz.rylott@york.ac.uk 

Dr Federico Sabbadin

  • Biorefining
  • Food security
  • Enzymology

+44 (0)1904 328781
federico.sabbadin@york.ac.uk 

Dr Thierry Tonon

CNAP ART Lecturer in Algal Biology

  • Algal physiology and metabolism
  • Algal metabolic pathways and enzymes
  • Biotechnological applications of algae and algal genes
  • Valorisation of seaweed biomass 

+44 (0)1904 328785 

Dr Charlotte Walker

  • Algal biology
  • Algal carbon fixation and biomineralisation
  • Synthetic biology

charlotte.walker@york.ac.uk 

Erin Gray

Research Administrator

 
  +44 (0)1904 328776
erin.gray@york.ac.uk

Judith Mitchell

Senior Research Administrator

  +44 (0)1904 328752 
judith.mitchell@york.ac.uk