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United Kingdom

Scientists at our centre in Egham carry out scientific research, international development projects and microbial services. Over the years its work has supported hundreds of projects and reached thousands of farmers in countries across the world. CABI also has a corporate office in Wallingford.

About

CABI’s science centre at Egham was established in 1992, but CABI has had a scientific base in the UK since its very beginning. Over the years its work has supported hundreds of CABI projects and reached thousands of farmers in countries across the world. Much of the team’s current work is for national government departments, in particular Defra and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (formerly DfID).

The centre, managed by Dick Shaw, CABI’s Senior Regional Director, Europe and The Americas, operates across the globe providing support on a range of topics, including invasive species, pests and diseases, knowledge management and commodities. Its scope is extensive – it carries out around 70 projects each year, which range from working to identify nematodes that are new to science in Chile, to seeking natural enemies for Europe and North America’s most invasive weeds.

With over 75 staff, a growing team of scientists carries out applied scientific research to find safe and sustainable solutions to problems in agriculture and the environment. An array of labs, glasshouses, polytunnels and two level 2 quarantine suites with eight climate-controlled chambers, means the centre is perfectly equipped to work with almost any organism in the world, in ideal conditions.

The centre is also home to CABI’s Microbial services team. The team’s specialist staff provide microbial expertise, with particular emphasis on agricultural and biotechnological applications. Services provided include microbial identification, culture sales and deposit, environmental and industrial investigation, contract research and provision of publications and training. The team’s work is supported by the Genetic Resource collection on site, which holds cultures of 28,000 living micro-organisms.

The centre collaborates extensively with both public and private sector organizations, NGOs, universities, governments and many more, in order to work in the most effective and sustainable way.

Corporate office

CABI’s corporate office is home to over 140 staff working in Publishing, Sales and Customer Service, IT, Marketing, Finance, Project Development and Digital Development.

Contact us

CABI, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9TY, UK

T: +44 (0) 1491 829080

Centre staff

Kate Pollard

Project Scientist

Rob Reeder

PlantwisePlus Programme Support Manager

Julien Godwin

Deputy Director, Egham

Sarah Thomas

Plant Pathologist

Suzy Wood

Scientific Support

Anthony Kermode

Curator and Laboratory Manager

Alan Buddie

Microbiology Research Leader

Thelma Caine

Mycology Information and Training Manager

Corin Pratt

Invasive Species Management Researcher

Matthew Ryan

Research Lead, Biological Resources

Jayne Crozier

Team Leader/ Plant Pathologist

Djamila Djeddour

Weed Biocontrol Scientist

Invasive Blog

Ruffling parrot’s feathers: the biological control of Myriophyllum aquaticum

30th May 2022
Invasive Blog

5 UK invasive species and their impact on native wildlife

19th May 2022
Invasive Blog

DNA from thin air: could invasive species be monitored using airborne DNA?

21st January 2022
Invasive Blog

Insect heroes fighting invasive species

21st June 2021

Documents

Progress report: UK weed biocontrol projects - March 2024

This is the 18th in a series of annual summary notes on progress made on UK weed biocontrol projects and covers the time frame from December 2023 to the end of March 2024.

Download PDF Type: Document
Progress report: UK weed biocontrol projects - November 2023

This is the 17th in a series of annual summary notes on progress made on UK weed biocontrol projects and covers the time frame from April to the end of November 2023.

Download PDF Type: Report
Progress report: UK weed biocontrol projects - March 2023

This is the 16th in a series of annual summary notes on progress made on UK weed biocontrol projects and covers the time frame from December 2022 to the end of March 2023.

Download PDF Type: Report
Progress report: UK weed biocontrol projects - November 2022

This is the 15th in a series of annual summary notes on progress made on UK weed biocontrol projects and covers the time frame from May to the end of November 2022.

Download PDF Type: Report
Progress report: UK weed biocontrol projects - May 2022

This is the 14th in a series of annual summary notes on progress made on UK weed biocontrol projects and covers the time frame from December 2021 to the end of April 2022.

Download PDF Type: Report

Related projects

CABI Project
Evaluating the mycoherbicide potential of a leaf-spot pathogen against Japanese knotweed

Japanese knotweed is a highly invasive weed that impacts severely on native biodiversity and local infrastructure in its introduced range. Whilst chemicals are currently used to control the weed, this approach is costly and unsustainable. Biological control is an alternative method. The damaging leaf-spot fungus, Mycosphaerella polygoni-cuspidati, which attacks the plant in its native range was found not to be suitable as a classical biocontrol agent. However, the pathogen is considered to hold potential as a mycoherbicide. The aim of this project is to undertake proof-of-concept research into a potential mycoherbicide, in collaboration with the private industry.

Start:31/01/16 -End:31/12/21