Professor Sir David Baulcombe FMedSci FRS

David Baulcombe is Regius Professor of Botany Emeritus at Cambridge University. Since November 2024 he is the Biological Secretary and a Vice President of the Royal Society.

His research is primarily in plant biology with a focus on RNA and epigenetics in the context of immunity against infectious disease, especially viruses. Discoveries from his group include a novel species of small RNA known as small interfering RNA, an RNA-based immune system against viruses and the link between RNA-based mechanisms and epigenetic modification of genomic DNA.

These findings have been recognised by various awards including the Royal Medal of the Royal Society, the Lasker Award for Biomedical Science, the Wolf Prize for Agriculture, a Balzan Prize for epigenetics and the Gruber Prize for Genetics. He is a Member of EMBO, Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Fellow (Hon) of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and he was knighted in 2009.

Professional position

  • Head of Department, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge

Subject groups

  • Molecules of Life

    Molecular microbiology

  • Patterns in Populations

    Plant sciences / botany

  • Cell Biology

    Genetics (excluding population genetics)

Awards

  • Balzan Prize

    For epigenetics.

  • Humphry Davy and Claude Bernard Lecture

  • Royal Medal

    For his profoundly significant recent discoveries for not only plants but for all of biology and for medicine.

Professor Sir David Baulcombe FMedSci FRS
Elected 2001
Committees Participated Role
Premier Awards Committee March 2025 - December 2027 Co-Chair
Committee Advising Council on Honorary Candidates December 2024 - November 2029 Ex-Officio
Committee Advising Council on General Candidates December 2024 - November 2029 Co-Chair
Research Professorships Panel November 2024 - November 2029 Chair
Grants Committee November 2024 - November 2029 Chair
Council November 2024 - November 2029 Biological Secretary
General Purposes Committee January 2024 - November 2029 Member
Biological Sciences Awards Committee January 2024 - December 2027 Chair
Council November 2021 - November 2024 Member
Commonwealth Science Conference Grants Committee July 2016 - June 2017 Member
Nominations Committee June 2012 - December 2016 Member
Council December 2007 - November 2009 Member
Sectional Committee 6: Molecules of Life December 2003 - November 2007 Chair