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.