About
TraitSeq’s mission is to empower agritech companies with actionable insights to accelerate the development of sustainable agricultural products.
TraitSeq delivers advanced data science and biological insights, driven by a diverse team founded on synergistic expertise resulting in cutting edge solutions.
Since spinning out from the Earlham Institute, our team of experts in bioinformatics, machine learning, and plant biology has been at the forefront of agritech, helping industry leaders transform their R&D processes and achieve impactful results.
Our vision is to advance our proprietary platform, enhancing its capabilities to unlock deeper insights into complex biological systems and drive agricultural innovation.
Our Team
Our team thrives on diverse skills and a supportive culture, driving both current success and future growth. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where the unique backgrounds and contributions of every team member are championed.
Dr Joshua Colmer
Joshua is an entrepreneurial scientist who co-founded TraitSeq to translate his innovative research in RNA-Seq and machine learning into impactful agricultural solutions, focusing on optimising development processes for improved efficiency.
John Bloomer
John supports TraitSeq’s commercial growth with over 30 years of commercial experience in international research-based agribusiness and an extensive industry network as director of his own successful agritech advisory company.
Dr Felicity Knowles
Felicity’s diverse background spans industry, start-ups and academia to provide the expertise for scalable ventures. She has been instrumental in establishing TraitSeq, drawing on her expansive network to strengthen TraitSeq’s infrastructure and accelerate company growth.
Prof Anthony Hall
Anthony, co-founder of TraitSeq and Head of Plant Genomics at the Earlham Institute, leverages 25+ years of research expertise to provide scientific guidance and vision, ensuring TraitSeq remains ahead of the curve in agritech innovation.
Ruth Mayes
Ruth brings over 20 years' experience in global business within the life science and agtech industries. She excels at driving strategic growth through business initiatives, robust partnerships and innovative solutions, through introducing cutting-edge technologies.
Dr Benedict Coombes
Ben is a bioinformatician with an extensive background in crop genomics. His technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and research experience play a key role in advancing TraitSeq's technological capabilities and innovation.
Dr Maricris Zaidem
Cris brings extensive expertise in plant development and stress responses from her roles at Oxford, NYU, Max Planck, and IRRI. As bioinformatician at TraitSeq, she advances machine learning in crops, enhancing our innovation and technological advancements.
Scarlett Udy
Scarlett, a first-class Business and Management graduate from Durham, leverages her experience in start-ups and business development to support operations and communications at TraitSeq, her seamless execution and delivery ensures actionable results.