Queen’s researcher Cathleen Crudden (Chemistry) is one of only two North American experts asked to join an international team developing drought-resistant crops.

The Japan-based project will receive $150 million over the next 10 years from that country’s Society for the Promotion of Science and Nagoya University. A portion of that funding will help Dr. Crudden build a chemistry laboratory in the World Premier Institute Research Centre for Transformative Biomolecules in Nagoya, Japan.

“The project is bringing together synthetic chemists and plant biologists,” says Dr. Crudden. “One of our main interests is in developing crops that can grow under harsh environments. This will be crucial in a changing climate. Japan’s investment in this project really shows why they are one of the world leaders in science and technology.”

The project gets underway in December and Dr. Crudden is now looking to hire postdoctoral fellows in synthetic chemistry, while other team members are looking for plant and animal biologists. She will continue running her laboratory at Queen’s while splitting time working in her new laboratory in Japan.

Joining Dr. Crudden on the team are Kenichiro Itami (Centre director, Nagoya University), Keiko Torii (University of Washington), Jeffrey Bode (ETH Zurich) and six other professors from Nagoya University.