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Tomasz Czechowski

Dr Tomasz Czechowski is the research team leader on the CNAP Artemisia project. Over the past six years, they have successfully developed new varieties of the medicinal plant Artemisia annua; the primary source of the leading anti-malarial drug artemisinin. The project uses the latest genetic techniques to accelerate and enhance traditional plant breeding and create new varieties of Artemisia with increased artemisinin yield.

“I previously worked at the Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology in Golm, Germany. There I developed a new analytical method for which I was credited as ‘one of the most influential European authors published between 2004 and 2008’ by the American Society of Plant Biologists. Recently this pioneering work has helped me investigate other important plants such as rice.

“I had an excellent biology teacher in my secondary school; she encouraged me to study biology at university. As an undergraduate student I became fascinated by plant science and decided to continue working in that field. The best thing about my job is that I can work on problems: using biology to benefit society. All the projects I am involved in are giving me an opportunity to do cutting-edge science that directly impacts on other people’s lives!”