Cafe Scientifique – Stockton on Tees
7.45pm, Tuesday 18 November 2025
We are delighted to be joined by
Dr Patricia Lopez-Calcagno
who will be discussing
Growing food in a hotter planet: could photosynthesis research help us secure our future?
We’re delighted to welcome plant scientist and lecturer Dr Patricia Lopez-Calcagno to our November Café to hear more about this highly relevant topic. If you have any (forgive the pun) budding plant scientists in the family, bring them along. Students get into the Café free and this talk might just set them off on an exciting career.
Patricia says - Growing global demands, limited land and water and a changing climate mean we must raise plant productivity significantly. This talk will explore how enhancing the fundamental processes of plant growth - particularly photosynthesis -can unlock greater yield potential. We will examine examples of genetic interventions that modify key aspects of photosynthetic metabolism to drive higher biomass and yield, and how these advances can improve resilience under climate stress. By integrating molecular innovation with environmental realities, this talk highlights how next-generation crop science can contribute to sustainable food security in a warming world.
About our speaker - Dr Patricia Lopez-Calcagno is a plant scientist and lecturer at Newcastle University, focused on optimizing photosynthesis to increase crop productivity and resilience. She began her studies in her native Venezuela and spent over a decade at the University of Essex, developing her research and collaborating with leading international partners, including the University of Illinois and the Australian National University, through the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project. Her work harnesses advances in plant biology to deliver practical, sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
You can make your (£6 suggested) contribution in ARC using the basket which is passed around in the interval. If you'd prefer to pay on-line the details are available at the event. Please put your name as a reference. Thank you.
Our website contains a list of all the talks we have held since we were set up in January 2004 and the talks for this season. Find out more at www.cafesci-stockton.org.uk
