Our history

CNAP was based on one founding principle: that plant science can help tackle major global challenges of the 21st century.

The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products was established in 1999 by Professor Dianna Bowles with a benefaction from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Dianna was concerned by the loss of plant biotechnology research in the UK and felt a new centre would help revive it.

Our researchers are now addressing major global challenges and are focused on improving the quality and productivity of food and non-food crops, developing sustainable biorefinery approaches to enhance the supply of fuels and chemicals, and improving our understanding of how plants make valuable pharmaceuticals.

Over the last two decades, we have achieved a wide range of fundamental breakthroughs in plant, microbial and algal research and have achieved many milestones:

2005: CNAP was awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education
2012: Biorenewables Development Centre was launched from a unique partnership between the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence and CNAP to support scale up and commercialisation of bio-based products and processes
2016-17: Professor Ian Graham was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation and awarded the Biochemical Society’s Heatley Medal and Prize for creating widespread benefits and value for society.
2020: CNAP supported the formation of BioYorkshire, a public-private partnership building on the region’s strength in the bioeconomy and accelerating the translation of science into biotechnology applications
2024: To celebrate Dianna’s vision and in recognition of the contribution Dianna made to the Department of Biology, its main building was named the Dianna Bowles Building.

CNAP continues to grow, attract world-leading researchers and contribute to a prosperous and sustainable future.