JR Biotek Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by Carol Ibe, a PhD student at the Department of Plant Sciences (Uta Paszkowski's Lab) is pleased to co-organize a Molecular Laboratory Training Workshop with the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge from 27th March to 3rd April 2017.

The hands-on laboratory-based training is designed to provide Africa-based agricultural research scientists and academics new knowledge and practical experience in modern molecular laboratory techniques to help improve the quality of their research and teaching upon return to their home institutions in Africa. Twenty candidates from six countries in Africa have been selected to participate in the workshop.

On Monday, 27th March, the Molecular Laboratory Training Workshop will begin with a keynote lecture delivered by Professor Sir David Baulcombe (Head, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University). The title of his keynote lecture is "Future possibilities for plant biotechnology in Africa."

After the keynote lecture four short research talks focusing on improving agricultural productivity and food security in Africa will follow. The talks are as follows;

• "Unlocking new water sources for improving agricultural productivity and food security” - Professor Mark Tester, KAUST, Saudi Arabia (https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/study/faculty/mark-tester)

• "Genetic mapping in rice and relevance to African agriculture” – Dr. Adam Price, University of Aberdeen, UK (https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sbs/people/profiles/a.price)

• "The Push-Pull Platform for Overcoming Constraints to Increasing Small Holder Farmer Production“ – Professor John Pickett, Rothamsted Research, UK (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/people/jpickett)

• "Trading in the dark: symbiotic phosphate uptake in cereals" - Dr. Uta Paszkowski, Cambridge University (http://www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/research/utapaszkowski)

Everyone is welcome to attend and you are free to attend different sessions.

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AGENDA: MONDAY, 27TH MARCH

9.30 – 10.00: Keynote Lecture by Professor Sir David Baulcombe - Head, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University

Title: Future Possibilities for Plant Biotechnology in Africa

To be chaired by: Professor Mark Tester, Associate Director at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST

10.00 – 10.10: Short introduction of the workshop participants

10.10 – 10.30: Research talk by Professor John Pickett, Rothamsted Research UK

Title: The Push-Pull Platform for Overcoming Constraints to Increasing Small Holder Farmer Production

10.30– 11.00: Tea/Coffee Break

11.00 – 11.20: Research Talk by Dr. Adam Price, University of Aberdeen

Title: “Genetic mapping in rice and relevance to African agriculture”

11.20 – 11.40: Research Talk by Professor Mark Tester, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Title: “Unlocking new water resources for improving agricultural productivity and food security”

11.40 – 12.00: Research Talk by Dr. Uta Paszkowski, Group Leader, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University

Title: "Trading in the dark: symbiotic phosphate uptake in cereals"

To learn more about the Molecular Laboratory Training Workshop and the inaugural African Diaspora Biotech Summit which takes place at the Sainsbury Laboratory Auditorium on 4th April 2017, visit http://www.jrbiotekfoundation.org/workshop-2017/ (for the workshop) and http://www.jrbiotekfoundation.org/african-diaspora-summit-2017/ (for the Summit). For more information, please contact Carol Ibe at cni21@cam.ac.uk.