Dr. Shelley Hepworth has been awarded the Early Researcher Award (ERA) from the Ontario Government for her project on Control of Leaf and Floral Architecture in a Model Plant Species. Flower farming is big business in Ontario and there’s huge potential for growth, particularly through advances in science and technology. Research being done by Dr.Hepworth is discovering more about the genes responsible for plant organs and how they contribute to diversity in plants. Her work will help people who cultivate flowering and ornamental plants breed new varieties and generate technology transfer to Ontario’s agricultural biotech sector