During her research career at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, Alison Smith studied the metabolism in plants of starch and sucrose – the carbohydrate products of photosynthesis that fuel plant growth. Her research uncovered biochemical pathways responsible for the synthesis and degradation of starch granules in plants. She showed that these processes in leaves are subject to complex control by the circadian clock over the day-night cycle, ensuring the availability of carbohydrate to fuel metabolism during the night. Latterly, she investigated the mechanisms underlying this control, and the way in which carbohydrate availability is integrated with other sources of information to determine rates and patterns of growth and development in plants.
Alison used information from her fundamental studies to examine starch turnover in crop plants. Continuing research at the John Innes Centre on starch synthesis in cereal grains has the potential to increase grain yield, and to change important functional and nutritional properties of flour.
Alison was awarded an OBE for services to plant science in 2006.
Professional position
- Honorary Professor, University of East Anglia
- Fellow Emerita, John Innes Centre
