About me

I am a plant cell biologist with a passion for understanding the intricate architecture and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in plant cells. My research journey has focused on leveraging advanced microscopy techniques—including light sheet imaging, FRET-FLIM, and single-molecule tracking—to reveal dynamic cellular processes and develop tools that empower other scientists. I developed AnalyzER, a widely used software for ER analysis, and co-pioneered the use of optogenetics in plants, reflecting my commitment to methodological innovation. Currently, I hold a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at Oxford Brookes University, where I lead research into enhancing plant protein production by manipulating ER architecture. Alongside research, I mentor students, co-edit scientific publications, and actively engage in public outreach and conference organization. My goal is to drive plant science forward while contributing to sustainable agriculture and scientific community development.

Education

Oxford Brookes University, 2015–2019
Thesis: The structure and dynamics of the plant endoplasmic reticulum

Previous experience

Grants and funding

Mentoring and teaching

Editorial and peer review

Current position

BA Biological Sciences

University of Oxford 2012 – 2015
Second Class Honours, Division 1

Oxford Brookes University | Dec 2022 – Present
An independent fellowship examining the relationship between ER morphology and biosynthetic output in plants.

Leverhulme Trust Early Career Research Fellow

• Leading a 3-year independent fellowship entitled "How to Build a Protein Factory"

• Developing novel microscopical approaches for real-time quantification of protein biosynthesis and secretion

• Investigating the role of ER architecture in regulating biosynthetic capacity in plant cells

• Exploring structural maintenance mechanisms of the ER using targeted genetic and imaging tools

Research Assistant

Postdoctoral Researcher

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Summer 2014

Oxford Brookes University | 2019 – 2022
Focused on ER-cytoskeleton interactions and dynamic organelle behaviour using advanced microscopy.

• Co-authored key studies on ER-actin dynamics.

• Published in high-impact journals and presented at international conferences.

• Established collaborations with the Central Laser Facility at Rutherford Appleton Lab.

• Studied ericoid mycorrhizal contributions to heathland restoration

• Performed controlled plant growth experiments and assisted with greenhouse and fieldwork operations

Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (2022–2025)
Project: How to Build a Protein Factory – Understanding and enhancing biosynthetic capacity in plant cells

STFC Direct Access Grant – Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell
Project: Linking structure and biosynthetic capacity of the plant ER using light sheet fluorescence microscopy

Communications Assistant

Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) | 2017 – 2018
Supported the organisation of key microscopy conferences (MMC, ELMI, SEMT) and developed public-facing resources for UK-wide imaging.

Selected innovations and impact

• AnalyzER – Pioneering software for ER structural quantification (Pain et al., 2019, Nat Comms).

• VAEM for Single Particle Tracking – Developed single-particle tracking method for ER resident proteins (Pain et al., 2024).

• Light Sheet Microscopy – Enabled >12h imaging of organelle movement in live tobacco (Pain et al., 2024).

• Optogenetics in Plants – Co-first author of the first study applying optogenetics in plant cells (Li et al., 2025).

• High-Pressure Freezing Restoration – Reinstated advanced plant ultrastructural imaging capacity at Oxford Brookes (Pain et al., 2024).

• Supervisor to 2 PhD students and 4 undergraduate project students (2022 - present)

• Guest lecturer: Advanced Cell Biology and Bioimaging, Oxford Brookes (2023 - present)

• Demonstrator: Plant Biotechnology and Imaging practical (2021 - present)

• Mentor: Gatsby Plant Science Summer School (2023)

• Contributor: Oxford DTP data analysis workshops (2021)

Academic presentations (selected)

Oral Presentations

• “Similar but different: Lunapark proteins 1 and 2 build structurally dissimilar cisternae”, RMS Botanical Microscopy 2023

• “The plant endoplasmic reticulum: shapes and connections”, ENPER, Konstanz 2023

• “Rapid quantification of ER structure…”, Society for Experimental Biology, 2021

• “Shaping the Plant ER”, GARNet, 2020

Poster Presentations

• Botanical Microscopy Meeting, 2019 – ER structural analysis

• MMC 2017 – ER architecture quantification

• Co-editor, Special Issue on ER Stress in Plants under Changeable Environments, Plants, 2023

• Review Editor, Frontiers in Plant Science (Plant Membrane Traffic and Transport)

• Peer reviewer for journals including New Phytologist, Journal of Microscopy, and Plant Journal

• Seminar Series Co-organiser, Oxford Brookes BMS

• Conference Support, RMS (MMC, ELMI, SEMT)

• Outreach: Public engagement and teaching through Gatsby Foundation, RMS, and university open days

Contributions to the research community

Impact and broader goals

My research contributes to global challenges in sustainable agriculture by investigating plant cell resilience and improving biosynthetic efficiency. The microscopy techniques and imaging pipelines I’ve developed are now being used across disciplines to study organelle function, protein synthesis, and cell structure—advancing plant biology and enabling new discoveries in biotechnology and synthetic biology.

PhD, BBSRC Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP