Novo Nordisk Foundation Emerging Investigator (2026 - 2031)

Academy Research Fellow (2025 - 2029) - launching Bioelectricity Group/Wey Group  

Novo Nordisk Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow (2023 - 2026)

Postdoctoral Researcher, in the Photomicrobes Group led by Professor Yagut Allahverdiyeva, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Finland (2021-2023)

PhD in Biochemistry supervised by Professor Chris Howe, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (2017-2021)

Research Assistant in the Price Lab at the Australian National University & ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia (2016-2017)

Honours in Biology, supervised by Professor Dean Price, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Australia (2015)

Bachelor of Philosophy (an undergraduate science research degree), Australian National University, Australia (2011-2014)

As well as powering nearly all technology in modern life, electricity plays a significant role in biology. In plants, action potentials triggered by damage or pathogens, propagate to other parts of the plant, activating defences. Cell polarity determines direction and rate of growth, and by electrotropism plant growth responds to electrical fields. Within photosynthetic cells, electrical gradients are formed across thylakoid membranes during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis can drive generation of electricity in biophotovoltaic devices or be otherwise re-wired for electrosynthesis of bioproducts. Life itself even has been hypothesised to have evolved under electric fields. I lead the Bioelectricity Group at the University of Turku and we research fundamental photobioelectrochemical mechanisms in Plant Science, with projects on (1) photosynthetic bacteria, (2) plants, and (3) symbiotic soil bacteria; and aims to harness that understanding in (1) photo-bio-batteries, and (2-3) electro-culture to contribute to sustainable energy and crop yields, respectively.

Review: Wey, Laura T., et al. "The development of biophotovoltaic systems for power generation and biological analysis." ChemElectroChem 6.21 (2019): 5375-5386. https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.201900997

In the news:

• Turun yliopiston tutkijalle miljoonarahoitus – kehittää bakteereista ladattavia paristoja | Turun Sanomat  https://www.ts.fi/uutiset/6679766
• Photosynthetic bacteria can generate enough electricity to charge the Internet of Things | ScienceNews https://sciencenews.dk/en/photosynthetic-bacteria-can-generate-enough-electricity-to-charge-the-internet-of-things
• Photosynthesis ‘hack’ could ‘lead to new ways of developing renewable energy’ | The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-university-of-cambridge-finland-b2306006.html  

Ongoing projects as Principal Investigator:

• 2026-2031 - Novo Nordisk Fonden/Novo Nordisk Foundation, Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology Emerging Invesitgator (€1.5M), Harnessing bidirectional electricity from photosynthetic bacteria (Photo-bio-batteries)
  
• 2025-2029 - Research Council of Finland, Scientific Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering, Academy Research Fellowship (€523 006), Elucidating the mechanism of extracellular electron transfer in cyanobacteria via regulation (CyanoSWITCH)
• 2023-2026 - Novo Nordisk Fonden/Novo Nordisk Foundation, Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology Postdoctoral Fellowship (€335 000), Green electricity from photosynthetic bacteria (Photo-e-Microbes)
• 2023-2024 - Maj ja Tor Nesslingin Säätiö/Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, Postdoc Grant (€82 400), Generating green electricity from photosynthetic bacteria (Foto-e-Mikrobit)

Ongoing consortia as Work Package Leader:

• 2023 -2027 - Suomen Akatemia/Research Council of Finland (formerly Academy of Finland), Consortium grant (PI: Professor Yagut Allaverdiyeva, Co-PI: Professor Chunlin Xu, Co-PI: Adjunct Professor Pia Damlin), A bio-inspired generator of green electricity using photosynthetic bacteria and sustainable materials (Photo-e-Mat)  
• 2023 – 2027 -  Suomen Kulttuurirahasto/Finnish Cultural Foundation, Working group grant under the theme of “new materials and technologies for the green transition” (PI: Professor Yagut Allaverdiyeva), Green solution: Photosynthetic power generation from sunlight and water (GreenSol)

Current supervision:

• PhD Researcher Pulmu Eloranta with Adjunct Prof.  Pia Damlin (main supervisor) in the Materials Chemistry Research Group in the Department of Chemistry  (2023-)
  
• PhD Researcher Eba Itafa with Prof. Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne (main supervisor) in the Photosynthetic Microbes Research Group in the Department of Life Technologies (2024-)
  
• PhD Researcher Michaela (Kayla) Crosbie with Adjunct Prof.  Lauri Nikkanen (main supervisor) in the Regulation of Bioenergetics in Cyanobacteria Research Group in the Department of Life Technologies (2025-)

• Guest lecturer SYST1012 Systems Biology
• Guest lecturer DIBT0601 Photosynthesis - Solar Driven Processes for Sustainability
• Project supervisor DIBT0605 Research Project in Photosynthetic BioTech

Teaching awards:

• Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom (2021) 

Pedagogical training:

• Basics of University Pedagogy, University of Turku Centre for University Pedagogy and Research (2023)
• Being a Thesis Supervisor, University of Turku Centre for University Pedagogy and Research  (2023)

• Teaching Associates’ Programme, Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning (2020-2021)
• Principles of Tutoring and Demonstrating, Australian National University Centre for Higher Education, Learning & Teaching (2015)

I am always looking for motivated students. If you are interested in the research area I pursue you can contact me (laura.wey[a]utu.fi) along with your CV and transcript to discuss possibilities.