Rate My Professor Malcolm Bennett

Professor Malcolm Bennett is a leading plant biologist serving as Professor of Plant Science in the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Manchester in 1985 and obtained his PhD focusing on root nodules and nitrogen assimilation in legumes under the supervision of Dr. Julie Cullimore. In 1991, he undertook a NATO-SERC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona, screening for auxin-related mutants, which culminated in the discovery of the AUX1 gene and his first faculty appointment in the UK in 1993. Key career advancements include receiving a BBSRC Professorial Research Fellowship in 2010 and an ERC Advanced Investigator grant in 2012 to assemble a multidisciplinary team spanning plant, soil, mathematical, and computer sciences.

Bennett's research centers on the 'hidden half' of plants, investigating root growth, development, and adaptation to soil environments. His laboratory has identified critical mechanisms such as the auxin influx carrier AUX1 regulating root gravitropism, published as 'Arabidopsis AUX1 gene: a permease-like regulator of root gravitropism' in 1996, and processes like hydrotropism and hydropatterning directing roots toward water sources. He established the Hounsfield Facility in 2014, a pioneering platform using X-ray microCT imaging, robotics, and deep learning to phenotype roots non-invasively in soil, uncovering traits for enhanced water and nutrient efficiency. This work translates to re-engineering root architecture in crops including wheat, rice, and pearl millet to bolster yields amid climate challenges. Among his influential publications are 'Auxin transport promotes Arabidopsis lateral root initiation' (2001) and 'Regulation of phyllotaxis by polar auxin transport' (2003). Bennett's contributions have earned him Fellowship of the Royal Society, EMBO membership, and a Wolfson Research Fellowship, positioning him among the most highly cited plant scientists.