Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University

The Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge

Exterior of the Sainsbury Laboratory from the Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Academic affiliation	University of Cambridge
Endowment	Gatsby Charitable Foundation
Director	Henrik Jönsson
Location	Cambridge , United Kingdom
Architect	Stanton Williams
Website	www.slcu.cam.ac.uk

The Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (or SLCU) is an independently funded British research institute based at Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Its aim is to elucidate the regulatory systems underlying plant growth and plant development.

Senior research staff

As of 2022, senior research staff include:

• Professor Henrik Jönsson, Director since 2020
• Dr James Locke, Associate Director and Royal Society University Research Fellow
• Professor Ottoline Leyser, Research Group Leader, Director from 2013 to 2020
• Professor Yrjö Helariutta, Research Group Leader
• Professor Elliot Meyerowitz, Inaugural Director and Distinguished Associate
• Professor Giles Oldroyd, Research Group Leader
• Dr Alexander Jones, Research Group Leader
• Dr Edwige Moyroud, Research Group Leader
• Dr François Nédélec, Research Group Leader
• Dr Sebastian Schornack, Research Group Leader and Royal Society University Research Fellow
• Dr Chris Whitewoods, Career Development Fellow
• Dr Sarah Robinson, Career Development Fellow
• Dr Renske Vroomans, Career Development Fellow

History

The Sainsbury Laboratory houses 120 plant scientists studying plant development and diversity in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. The building was made possible by the award of an £82 million grant from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, one of the Sainsbury family charitable trusts. The work of the laboratory complements that of the Sainsbury Laboratory at Norwich.

Construction of the 11,000-square metre building, led by Kier Group, began in the private working and research area of the Botanic Garden in February 2008 and was completed in December 2010. The building was opened on 27 April 2011 by Elizabeth II.

The laboratory building also provides plant growth facilities and a home for the University Herbarium, which contains over one million pressed and dried plant specimens from around the world, including the great majority of those collected by Charles Darwin on the Beagle Voyage, and scientific research material relating to newly discovered plants from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Building

The Laboratory meets Cambridge City Council’s planning requirement for 10% renewable on-site energy generation through use of photovoltaic panels, and has been awarded a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. The Gilmour Suite, in a wing of the Sainsbury Laboratory, provides a public café and terrace for Botanic Garden visitors and is open all year during the garden's public opening hours. The building was awarded the Stirling Prize for architecture in 2012.

Architect:	Stanton Williams
Furniture consultant:	Luke Hughes
Construction Start date:	February 2008
Completion Date:	December 2010
Date of Occupation:	January 2011
Number of Occupants:	150
Gross Internal Area:	11,000 m2 (120,000 sq ft)

• 
  Stairs
• 
  Auditorium
• 
  Cubicles

Artwork

The laboratory has several artworks, including:

Artist Name	Work
Norman Ackroyd	Galapagos
Susanna Heron	Henslow’s Walk
William Pye	Starburst

External links

• Official website