Key details
Professor Elinor Thompson
Professor of Plant and Microbial Biology
Elinor Thompson is a microbiologist whose research has included molecular biology, developmental and cell biology, biochemistry, bioenergetics, imaging and spectroscopy, largely to explore membrane proteins but with collaborations spanning mathematical modelling and animal development.
Following BSc and MSc degrees in microbiology, she obtained her PhD in plant biology at University College London, researching the function of several proteins that were found in both photosynthetic eukaryotes and prokaryotes. This included utilising spectroscopy and molecular biology to examine how FtsH proteases influence membrane composition and photosystems of cyanobacteria and Arabidopsis.
This was followed by seven years of postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, working on various projects in a molecular development lab, for example, investigating the roles of a family of rhomboid proteases in development and growth, and of a 'multidrug and toxin efflux' protein in the transport of flavonoids, auxin regulation, and plant fertility.
Elinor's lab at Greenwich continues to work on these proteins in a range of organisms, including plants, microorganisms and the social amoeba Dictyostelium.
Lab members and alumni
- Dr Colin Bateman
- Parth Darji
- Dr Billy Ferrara
- Dr Dale Harrison
- Dr Iskander Ibrahim
- Dr Olaide Ogunsanya
- Dr Amit Prabhakar
- Dr Mehak Rafiq
- Dr Mohamed Said
- Dr Arwa Selim
- Hugo Shaw
- Dr Kevin Smyth
- Dr Kexin Wang
Responsibilities within the university
Course participation
- Plant Sciences
- Biotechnology
- Cell and Microbial Biology
- Fundamental Biology and Physiology
- Introduction to Medical Science
- Medical Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Practical and Professional Skills.
Recognition
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
- Microbiology Society representative, Royal Society of Biology Plant Science Group
Research / Scholarly interests
- Plant biology
- Membrane proteases
- Cell-cell communication, signalling, development
- Photosynthesis.
Techniques
- Molecular biology
- Bioinformatics
- Spectroscopy (e.g., to examine behaviour of photosynthetic apparatus)
- Confocal and electron microscopy (e.g., use of GFP, and of cryo-SEM for observation of 'live' specimens).
Dr Thompson is interested in membrane proteases and transporters and their importance in regulating comparable processes in different organisms. The various roles of rhomboid proteins have led to an interest in fertility, and cell signalling in both eukaroytes and prokaryotes.
She welcomes enquiries from potential collaborators and postgraduate students regarding relevant research projects.
Recent publications
Article
Said, Mohamed , Freire, Rafael, Cabreiro, Filipe, Serrano-Contreras, Jose Ivan , Thompson, Elinor P. , Everett, Jeremy R. (2025), Phenotypic and metabonomics studies of FMOs in C. elegans and their roles in lifespan extension. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Metabolomics, 21: 170 (6) ISSN: 1573-3882 (Print), 1573-3890 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-025-02367-4).
Said, Mohamed , Freire, Rafael, Cabreiro, Filipe, Serrano-Contreras, Jose Ivan , Thompson, Elinor P. , Everett, Jeremy R. (2025), Phenotypic and metabonomics studies of FMOs in C. elegans and their roles in lifespan extension. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Metabolomics ISSN: 1573-3882 (Print), 1573-3890 (Online) (doi: ) NB Item availability restricted.
Ademola, Oluwaseyi , Wang, Kexin, Fisher, Nicholas, Thompson, Elinor (2025), The light reactions of photosynthesis: monitoring pathways, energy and photoprotection in greenhouse and crop studies. CAB International. In: , , , . CAB International, CABI Reviews, 20: 50 (1) 1749-8848 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1079/cabireviews.2025.0050).
Ferrara, Bill T. , Thompson, Elinor P., Roviello, Giovanni N., Gale, Thomas F. (2025), C-terminal analogues of camostat retain TMPRSS2 protease in-hibition: new synthetic directions for antiviral repurposing of guanidinium-based drugs in respiratory infections. MDPI. In: , , , . MDPI, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26: 6761 (14) ISSN: 1661-6596 (Print), 1422-0067 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26146761).
Said, Mohamed , Ferrara, Bill T., Aprodu, Andrea, Cabreiro, Filipe , Thompson, Elinor P. , Everett, Jeremy (2024), Transcriptional analysis of C. elegans fmos at different life stages and their roles in ageing. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 299: 113 ISSN: 1617-4615 (Print), 1617-4623 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-024-02201-x) NB Item availability restricted.
Ogunsanya, Olaide M. , Armitage, Andrew D., Afolabi, Clement G., Oyatomi, Olaniyi , Thompson, Elinor P. , Ortega-Beltran, Alejandro , Abberton, Michael (2024), Whole genome sequences of Colletotrichum siamense and Colletotrichum truncatum, causal agents of pod and foliar diseases on African yam bean. American Society for Microbiology. In: , , , . American Society for Microbiology, Microbiology Resource Announcements 2576-098X (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00722-24).
Ogunsanya, Olaide Mary , Adebisi, Moruf Ayodele, Popoola, Akinola Rasheed, Afolabi, Clement Gboyega , Oyatomi, Olaniyi , Colgan, Richard , Armitage, Andrew , Thompson, Elinor , Abberton, Michael , Ortega-Beltran, Alejandro (2024), Morphological, pathological and phylogenetic analyses identify a diverse group of Colletotrichum spp. causing leaf, pod, and flower diseases on the orphan legume African yam bean. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Plant Pathology . pp. 1-15 ISSN: 0032-0862 (Print), 1365-3059 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13995).
Williams, Robin S. B. , Chubb, Jonathan R., Insall, Robert, King, Jason S. , Thompson, Elinor , Pears, Catherine J. (2021), Moving the research forward: the best of British biology using the tractable model system Dictyostelium Discoideum. MDPI. In: , , , . MDPI, Cells, 10: 3036 (11) ISSN: 2073-4409 (Print), 2073-4409 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113036).
Di Genova, Cecilia , Sampson, Alex, Scott, Simon, Cantoni, Diego , Mayora-Neto, Martin , Bentley, Emma , Mattiuzzo, Giada , Wright, Edward , Derveni, Mariliza , Auld, Bethany (2021), Production, titration, neutralisation and storage of SARS-CoV-2 lentiviral pseudotypes. Bio-Protocol. In: , , , . Bio-Protocol, Bio-protocol, 11 (21) . pp. 1-21 ISSN: 2331-8325 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.4236).
Thompson, Elinor and , Zand, Nazanin (2020), Tinted semi-transparent solar panels allow concurrent production of crops and electricity on the same cropland. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Advanced Energy Materials, 10: 2001189 (35) . pp. 1-9 ISSN: 1614-6832 (Print), 1614-6840 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202001189).
Thompson, Elinor , Bombelli, EL, Simon, Shubham, Watson, Hamish , Everard, Aldous , Schievano, Andrea , Bocchi, Stefano , Zand Fard, Nazanin , Howe, Christopher J. , Bombelli, Paolo (2020), Tinted semi‐transparent solar panels allow concurrent production of crops and electricity on the same cropland. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Advanced Energy Materials, 10: 2001189 (35) ISSN: 1614-6832 (Print), 1614-6840 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202001189) NB Item availability restricted.
Harrison, Dale J. A. and , Thompson, Elinor P (2020), A rapid and low-cost method for genomic DNA extraction from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis. Oxford University Press (OUP). In: , , , . Oxford University Press (OUP), Biology Methods and Protocols, 5: bpaa011 (1) 2396-8923 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/biomethods/bpaa011).
Conference item
Rashid, Eden , Darji, Parth Pankaj, Thompson, Elinor (2025), Investigating the effect of agrivoltaic skewed light spectra on Botrytis cinerea development on strawberry. In: Plant Health Conference: "Plant Health Activity The Royal Society of Biology has partnered with Defra to run a series of plant health workshops", 25th, June 2025, Online , . , (doi: https://www.rsb.org.uk/careers-and-cpd/registers/plant-health-register/plant-health-activity) NB Item availability restricted.
Ademola, Oluwaseyi , Ferrara, Bill T., Hopkins, Richard, Thompson, Elinor (2024), Crop biology agrivoltaics systems' skewed spectrum light. In: Horticultural Science: From Discovery to Application, 26th - 27th Mar, 2024, Reading , . , (doi: https://www.aab.org.uk/event/horticultural-science-from-discovery-to-application/) NB Item availability restricted.
Ogunsanya, Olaide , Afolabi, Clement, Colgan, Richard, Armitage, Andrew , Thompson, Elinor , Ortega-beltran, Alejandro , Abberton, Michael (2023), Polyphasic identification of causative pathogens responsible for foliar and pod diseases of African Yam Bean in Nigeria. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2023, 17th - 20th April 2023, Birmingham International Convention Centre , . , (doi: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/annual-conference/annual-conference-2023.html).
Ademola, Oluwaseyi , Duvenage, Francois, Selim, Arwa, Ferrara, Bill T. , Hopkins, Richard , Thompson, Elinor (2023), Crop biology under agrivoltaics systems’ skewed spectrum light. In: SEB annual conference, 4th - 7th July 2023, Edinburgh , . , (doi: https://www.sebiology.org/events/seb-centenary-conference-2023.html).
Selim, Arwa , Ferrara, Bill T., Thompson, Elinor (2023), Life cycle-specific secondary metabolites in the model eukaryotic microbe, Dictyostelium. In: Annual Conference Microbiology Society 2023, 17th - 20th April 2023, Birmingham , . , (doi: https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/4939/submissions/458075/form/view).
Selim, Arwa and , Thompson, Elinor (2022), Efflux transporter capability in Synechocystis: roles and application. In: 17th International Symposium on Phototrophic Prokaryotes (ISPP2022), 21st - 25th August 2022, Liverpool , . , (doi: https://ispp2022.com/programme/).
Ferrara, Bill T. and , Thompson, Elinor (2022), Differential activity of efflux transporters of the model eukaryote Dictyostelium. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2022, 4th - 7th April 2022, Belfast , . , (1st) (doi: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/annual-conference/annual-conference-2022.html).
Said, Mohamed , Thompson, Elinor, Everett, Jeremy (2021), Modulation of ageing by genetic knock-out, phototherapy and drugs in the C. elegans worm. Biochemical Society - British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA). In: Metabolism of Ageing, 06 - 08 Sep 2021, online In: Cathy Slack, James Brown (eds.), A JOINT BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY & BSRA ONLINE CONFERENCE: Metabolism of Ageing 6-8 September 2021 ONLINE. Biochemical Society - British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA), Aston University, UK / Trustee, British Society for Research on Ageing (doi: https://bsra.org.uk/bsra-biochemical-society-metabolism-of-ageing-meeting/) NB Item availability restricted.
Conference proceedings
Ferrara, Bill T. , Saleh, Salma Mounir, Thompson, Elinor (2020), Multidrug and efflux transporters of the model microbe Dictyostelium discoideum. Microbiology Society. In: , , , Access Microbiology. Microbiology Society, London, UK , 2 (7a) 2516-8290 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.ac2020.po0194).