Dr Daniel Tolhurst

Susan Bodie: Hi, I'm Susan Bodie. I'm Head of Business Development for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine here at Edinburgh Innovations. I'm joined today by Daniel Tolhurst, who is one of our new Innovation Fellows. 

Daniel Tolhurst: Thank you, Susan, it’s very nice to meet you. It’s great to be one of the first Innovation Fellows. 

Susan: So, I'd like to hear a little bit about why you’ve chosen science. What’s your background and for what’s your project? 

Daniel: My undergraduate at university was a Bachelor of Medical Mathematics. Essentially, you could go in and do a postdoc in medicine or I chose to do Applied Statistics. [Then] I got a job as a Research Fellow working with the Australian grains industry as an Applied Statistician...

Why, where I am now, […] came from that very first job. I was asked to go into one of the farms in the Outback in Western Australia and meet with the farmers and convince them why science is good for their crop farming. It’s easier said than done. 

That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I’m a statistician, but when I do look at the data, I don’t see the data, I see the crop farmers or I see the people that are going to go to the shops and pick up their groceries, and how do we improve that food for the world? 

Susan: Tell me a little bit about your project. What are you going to look at during your Innovation Fellowship? 

Daniel: Before that farmer goes and grows the crops in the field, that seed that they’re growing goes through years of scientific improvement […] A plant breeding company is responsible for taking a large number of plants and whittling them down over years of improvement to finally release a handful of varieties that a crop farm will grow in their field. 

But, of course, that’s a big process. There’s lots of data involved […] and what my Innovation Fellowship is all about is how do we maximise that data? How do we leverage that data, not only from the environments themselves or weather data, but also the DNA information of the plants themselves […] How do we marry that up so that when a crop variety gets released to a farmer they have the best possible variety that they can grow. So not only will it be high-yielding, but it will be adaptive. We’ve got to keep ahead of the game here because, after all those years of improvement, we need to know what’s next. Is that crop going to be resilient to future environments? And so that’s where my project is really coming in. All of that, in data analysis and techniques.

Susan: Can you tell me a little bit why specifically this fellowship was of interest to you and why the Innovation Fellowship? 

Daniel: Really from that first job […] I knew that translational research and going out into the farms or the stakeholders and actually talking to those people that need this research and how do we tailor the research to what they need? That to me has been underpinning what I research and I saw that the Edinburgh Innovation Fellowship was the perfect fit for that...[It’s] really going to give me that platform and [take] my research on the scale that is to potentially a global scale and having global impact, and that's really where I see why this is a good fit for me. 

Susan: How did you hear about Edinburgh Innovations and how have they supported you in your journey? 

Daniel: Edinburgh Innovations was involved in my PhD because I was funded through an industry partner for my PhD and, at the time I didn't know, I was sort of not privy to what was going on behind the scenes, but they were there involved in that contract to make sure that the PhD student has the proper IP to be able to publish and everything like that. 

Susan: So, in terms of what you’re hoping to do after the Innovation Fellowship and what the Innovation Fellowship will do for your journey. What does that look like? 

Daniel: Yeah, so I think the Innovation Fellowship is really going to spring-board my career into an independent career. But I’d say also it’s a bit bigger than what I want to do and what I want to get out of it and obviously be successful. Because, like I mentioned, it is about food production. It’s more than just what I want to get out of it. 

Susan: Where do you see Industry in your journey? Has that been helpful or beneficial in any way? 

Daniel: I’ve been quite fortunate to […] originally work with the farmers, working out what they want and then also through to Industry. I think that it really is a vital step of the scientific process, because, especially in applied and translational research, you need to be able to actually have a product or something that they can use. 

Susan: In terms of funding for future development for your plans,(...) who might you be looking to get funding from? 

Daniel: I was lucky enough to get fully funded in my PhD from Industry. That’s already a pretty good start. And having that company involved in the BBSRC Impact Acceleration Award. But just on that note, that’s why I'm excited to be an Innovation Fellow, because I know I’m in right hands here with Edinburgh Innovations, because they will be able to point me in the right direction for these future funding opportunities. That’s what I’m looking forward to as well. 

Susan: So, all going well, we get to the end. What's next for Daniel Tolhurst and his science?

Daniel: So a farmer, for instance, may get data and make his decisions on a very short turnaround. And if we’re talking about analysing data or big algorithms, they need to be able to run quick enough that they get the data back to the farmer or the grower in time so they can go and then replant a new crop. It’s all about having that efficient solution so that they can make those decisions, something like maybe an app along those lines.

Susan: And in terms of location, you’re here, you’re in Edinburgh. What is the benefit of being in Edinburgh? What does Edinburgh bring to your Fellowship and why do you want to do it here? 

Daniel: Edinburgh is sitting basically at the cusp of the US and America as well as Europe. So I’m able to collaborate and work with companies over in the US and then also in Europe and able to have that impact on a global scale. On top of that, I also still have the ties to the Australian grains industry and to other areas around the globe too. So I’m really trying to build that network across. 

Susan: What key learning’s have you experienced through your process in applying and being appointed? What would you suggest to somebody that's considering this? 

Daniel: The short answer would be just do it. It’s been a really good process and I’m really enjoying it. Come up with the research proposal that’s going to have impact – sometimes easier said than done. But also, lean on your mentors for advice for these things too.

Susan: Well, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for the interview today, Daniel. It’s been really nice to hear about your work and what you’re hoping to achieve as part of your Innovation Fellowship. Thank you very much. 

Daniel: Thank you for having me. It’s been really good talking to you, Susan. And I’m really looking forward to continuing on this journey with Edinburgh Innovations. I’ll certainly be in touch with all the guidance and the mentorship and all of the trainings that I’m looking forward to doing in the next couple of years.