Ian is Professor of Genetics and Epigenetucs in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Since 2008, his group has investigated genetic and epigenetic inheritance in plants, with a focus on meiosis. Recently, his group have used long-read DNA sequencing to analyse repetitive regions of the genome, including the centromeres. Their current work includes exploring the roles of recombination within the centromeres, and understanding their rapid evolution. Work in the Henderson group also seeks to translate knowledge of recombination mechanisms in crop breeding, to accelerate strain improvement and help adapt to the changing climate. Prior to arriving in Cambridge, Ian performed post-doctoral research with Prof. Steve Jacobsen (UCLA, USA) on RNA-directed in DNA methylation in plants, and completed his PhD with Prof. Dame Caroline Dean (John Innes Centre, UK) where he investigated control of flowering-time by RNA binding proteins. He was elected a member of EMBO in 2022.