Cathie Martin

Martin received a first class honours degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. She then went on to obtain her PhD in Biochemistry in 1981, also from Cambridge.{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|publisher=University of Cambridge|title=Plant cell differentiation during seed germination|first= Catherine Rosemary|last=Martin|year=1981|website=cam.ac.uk|url=https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/permalink/f/t9gok8/44CAM_ALMA21429715360003606|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.277433}}|oclc=557040208}}

Her research has included work on blood oranges{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/scientists-create-new-orange-superjuice-to-help-beat-heart-disease-7563240.html|title=Scientists create new orange superjuice to help beat heart disease|date=13 March 2012|website=independent.co.uk|publisher=The Independent|access-date=10 June 2016}} and high anthocyanin purple tomatoes.{{cite q|Q34866413}}{{cite q|Q33925419}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25885756|title=Genetically-modified purple tomatoes heading for shops|website=bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News |date=24 January 2014 |access-date=10 June 2016}}

After a period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cambridge{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123161726/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/dv/cv_martin_/CV_Martin_en.pdf|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/dv/cv_martin_/CV_Martin_en.pdf|title=Cathie Martin Profile|archive-date=23 January 2015|publisher=European Parliament|location=Brussels}}{{Scopus id}} she moved to the John Innes Centre's department of genetics in 1983. She was the first to identify genes which regulated cell shape in plants.

Since 2000, Cathie's research has focused on diet and health, researching how crops can be fortified to combat chronic disease across the world. This research has focused on plants which contain natural chemical compounds, which can be seen as 'natural medicines'. In 2022 Martin's laboratory produced genetically manipulated tomatoes containing high levels of a precursor to vitamin D. These were scheduled for field trials, and intended to improve dietary intake of vitamin D.{{cite journal |last1=Ledford |first1=Heidi |title=Gene-edited tomatoes could provide new source of vitamin D |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01443-2 |journal=Nature |year=2022 |doi=10.1038/d41586-022-01443-2 |pmid=35606436 |s2cid=249015294 |access-date=25 May 2022|url-access=subscription }}{{cite web |last1=Geddes |first1=Linda |title=Scientists create tomatoes genetically edited to bolster vitamin D levels |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/23/scientists-create-tomatoes-genetically-edited-boost-vitamin-d-levels |website=theguardian.com |date=23 May 2022 |access-date=25 May 2022}}

With Liam Dolan, Alison Mary Smith, George Coupland, Nicholas Harberd, Jonathan Jones, Robert Sablowski and Abigail Amey she is a co-author of the textbook Plant Biology.{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alison Mary |author-link1=Alison Mary Smith |last2=Coupand |first2=George |author-link2=George Coupland |last3=Dolan |first3=Liam |author-link3=Liam Dolan |last4=Harberd |first4=Nicholas |author-link4=Nicholas Harberd |last5=Jones |first5=Jonathan |author-link5=Jonathan D. G. Jones |last6=Martin |first6=Cathie |author-link6=Cathie Martin |last7=Sablowski |first7=Robert |last8=Amey |first8=Abigail |date=2009 |title=Plant Biology |url=https://archive.org/details/plantbiology0000unse |publisher=Garland Science |isbn=978-0815340256 |url-access=registration }}

She was the editor-in-chief of The Plant Cell, as well as the first woman and first non-American to hold this post. She holds seven patents and co-founded

the University spin-off company Norfolk Plant Sciences with Jonathan Jones, to bring the benefits of plant biotechnology to Europe and the United States.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610113822/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/LhuZDrYofdS0K_xx7cInPY8h5HI/appointments|author=Anon|year=2016|archive-date=10 June 2016|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/LhuZDrYofdS0K_xx7cInPY8h5HI/appointments|publisher=Companies House|location=London|title=Catherine Rosemary MARTIN}} Her former doctoral students include Beverley Glover.

Martin was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for "services to plant biotechnology"{{London Gazette |issue=60534 |date=15 June 2013 |page=20 |supp=y}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lifesciencesindex.com/nutrition-integrates-2014-speaker-cathie-martin |title=Life Sciences Index » Nutrition Integrates 2014 Speaker – Cathie Martin |access-date=19 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119173638/http://www.lifesciencesindex.com/nutrition-integrates-2014-speaker-cathie-martin |archive-date=19 January 2015 }} and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) most promising innovator 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/people-skills-training/2014/140515-f-innovators-pt3-martin-butelli.aspx|year=2014|title=Innovators 2014 part three – Cathie Martin and Eugenio Butelli's purple tomatoes |publisher= BBSRC|author=Anon|website=bbsrc.ac.uk|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-date=2 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202072448/http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/people-skills-training/2014/140515-f-innovators-pt3-martin-butelli.aspx|url-status=dead}} Cathie's research into Purple Tomatoes gained her and Eugenio Butelli BBSRC's most promising innovator award in 2014. She has also been recognised by:

• Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) President's Medal, 1990{{cite web|url=http://www.sebiology.org/Documents/Meetings/Pres_Meds.pdf|title=Society for Experimental Biology President's Medallists|publisher=sebiology.org|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134227/http://www.sebiology.org/Documents/Meetings/Pres_Meds.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}
• Awarded EMBO Membership in 2011
• Awarded fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (FAAAS), 2012{{cite web|url=http://membercentral.aaas.org/fellows?page=3&LastName=M&Section=All&Country=All&State=All&name=&company=&AMCV_242B6472541199F70A4C98A6@AdobeOrg_=-996416310%7CMCMID%7C63093029850094837050129865212467437497%7CMCAID%7CNONE%7CMCAAMLH-1422288452%7C6|title=Fellows – AAAS MemberCentral|website=aaas.org|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119183326/http://membercentral.aaas.org/fellows?page=3&LastName=M&Section=All&Country=All&State=All&name=&company=&AMCV_242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%40AdobeOrg_=-996416310%7CMCMID%7C63093029850094837050129865212467437497%7CMCAID%7CNONE%7CMCAAMLH-1422288452%7C6|archive-date=19 January 2015|url-status=dead}}
• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), 2013{{cite web|url=https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/2013/06/prof-cathie-martin-made-an-mbe/|title=Prof Cathie Martin made an MBE – John Innes Centre|website=jic.ac.uk|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804075542/https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/2013/06/prof-cathie-martin-made-an-mbe/|archive-date=4 August 2016|url-status=dead}}
• BBSRC most promising innovator, 2014
• Made fellow of American Society of Plant Biologists 2017{{Cite web |last=Kronfeld |first=Shoshana |date=2017-03-28 |title=Announcing the 2017 ASPB Award Winners |url=https://blog.aspb.org/announcing-the-2017-aspb-award-winners/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=Plant Science Today |language=en-US}}
• Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2018{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/catherine-martin-13827/|title=Catherine Martin|website=royalsociety.org|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|author=Anon|year=2018|access-date=9 May 2018}}
• Awarded the Rank Prize for Nutrition in 2021{{Cite web|date=2021-09-28|title=Rank Prize for Nutrition awarded to Professor Cathie Martin|url=https://www.jic.ac.uk/press-release/rank-prize-for-nutrition-awarded-to-professor-cathie-martin/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=John Innes Centre|language=en-GB}}

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Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge

Category:Academics of the University of East Anglia

Category:British botanists

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Female fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:British women botanists