I don't want to look sexy in photographs. I think it's an easy option. I'm so sick of girls pushing their boobs up in Myspace photographs. I hate the way women want to be "hot" all the time.

My big idea is to marry affordability and access to ensure that we leverage innovation to develop affordable, cutting-edge therapies for chronic diseases.

They always say,  “Don’t take your job home.” When you go home, don’t take it. I don’t agree with that.

Visibility doesn’t equal power.

My old French teacher Madame Hawksworth stopped me in Ikley car park and said, 'We never thought you'd amount to much.'

I try to be a Sherlock Holmes of botany. It's not enough to enjoy plants – I want to know why they are wilting, to work things out.

But I should have more confidence, it's ridiculous.

Eric Idle’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. That’s me, really.

My marriage has not been a drudge. But in 29 years there are times where it's not all excitement, thunderbolts and shooting stars. You have to think, 'I like you and I rate you,' and you'll ride it out.

Foolhardiness. I wrote two chapters and a synopsis, sent it off to a publisher, and it sold. That's what emboldened me to continue.