Jill Farrant, professor of molecular and cell biology at the
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...
, South Africa,
is a leading expert on
resurrection plant A resurrection plant is any poikilohydric plant that can survive extreme dehydration, even over months or years.
Examples include:
* ''Anastatica hierochuntica'', also known as the Rose of Jericho, a plant species native to deserts of North Africa ...
s, which 'come back to life' from a desiccated, seemingly dead state when they are rehydrated.
Research work
Farrant is investigating the ability of certain species of plants which are able to survive without water for long periods of time.
[ As Farrant explains, " l plants have the genes that enable desiccation tolerance, but most use them only when they make seeds. Resurrection plants can also switch these genes on in their leaves and roots whenever drought occurs." The ultimate goal of her research is to find applications that will lead to the development of drought-tolerant crops to nourish populations in arid, drought-prone climates,][ notably in Africa, and her research may have medicinal applications as well. Farrant believes food crops which can survive long stretches without water "will become more important as climate change (increasing drought) continues to impact on agriculture."]eragrostis tef
''Eragrostis tef'', also known as teff, Williams lovegrass or annual bunch grass, is an annual grass, a species of lovegrass native to the Horn of Africa, notably to both Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is cultivated for its edible seeds, also known as ...
, an annual grass, into just such a crop. Eragrostis tef seeds are a high-protein staple food in Ethiopia, and it is closely related to a drought-resistant resurrection grass.[
]
Personal life
Farrant became interested in resurrection plants as a child when she saw a "dead" plant 'come back to life' after a rain fall.[
In 2009, Farrant suffered a near-fatal head injury which caused her to lose her senses of taste and smell.][
Farrant is a recovering alcoholic, a fact that she is "happy to be public about...in order to show what someone in recovery can achieve."]
Background
* Undergraduate, MSc, and PhD degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is a university with five campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville. ...
, Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
, South Africa.
* NRF President's Award for researchers who, on the basis of exceptional potential demonstrated in their published doctoral work, are considered likely to become future international leaders in their field.
* 2008 SAAB Silver Medal for Excellence in Botany.
* Fellow of the Royal Society of Southern Africa, the University of Cape Town and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Foundation.
* 2010. Department of Science and Technology award for being the most distinguished women scientist.
* President of South African Association of Botanists (2009–2010).
Awards
In 2010, Farrant was awarded the €100,000 Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award
The Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award is awarded annually by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. It is considered the top award for research on the African continent.
In Memory of Harry Oppenheimer
The Award was created in 2001, in South Africa, by ...
for her research into resurrection plants.
References
External links
Resurrection plant video
How we can make crops survive without water
TED 2015
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrant, Jill
Year of birth missing (living people)
L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science laureates
20th-century South African botanists
Living people
21st-century South African women scientists
21st-century South African botanists
South African women botanists
20th-century South African women scientists