About

Hello, I am a freelance science writer and editor living in the UK. I am fascinated by plants and microbes and they are the focus of this blog, but I also write about other topics including science communication and my scientific experiences.

My love of plants and microbes has been nurtured by my scientific training. I studied the friendly relationships (symbioses) between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and members of the legume family of plants (e.g. peas and beans)  at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, gaining my PhD in 2014.

After completing my PhD, I spent several years working as an editor for the life and biomedical science journal eLife. I commissioned and produced magazine-style content for the journal including feature articles, commentary articles and plain-language summaries of research papers. I was also responsible for commissioning episodes of the eLife Podcast.

In my spare time I can often be found playing music, knitting and baking cakes. I also enjoy gardening and going on walks in the countryside.

I am a member of Girlguiding, the UK’s largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women. I run a Girl Guide unit in my local area where 10-14 year old girls meet regularly to have fun, learn new skills and get involved in community projects.

Dr. Sarah Shailes

Disclaimer: all views and opinions are my own.