About
Director BBSRC South Coast Biosciences (SoCoBio) Docotoral Training Partnership
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Chloroplast development and retrograde signalling to the nucleus
- Light regulation of wheat growth and development
- Improving algal photosynthesis
Current research
Chloroplast-to-nucleus signalling: Photosynthesis provides the only significant source of new, utilisable energy to the planet. For land plants photosynthesis takes place in a specialised organelle called a chloroplast. My primary research area is focused on determining how the development and function of chloroplasts is regulated, with a particular interest in retrograde signalling between the chloroplast and nucleus. Work on fundamental research questions is primarily undertaken in the model plant Arabidopsis, and we are applying our knowledge to understand these processes in crop species.
Role of Phytochrome Interacting Proteins (PIFs) in wheat: PIFs act downstream from the Rht1 Green Revolution gene and offer the promise of a more tailored manipulation of growth and chloroplast development in this major crop species.
Algal synthetic biology: We are using molecular genetic and synthetic biology approaches to improve algal photosynthesis for biofuels and related applications.
Research projects
Active projects
Completed projects
Publications
Biography
2018-2023: Deputy Head of School (Research and Enterprise). University of Southampton, UK.
2013-present: Professor of Molecular Plant Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
2009-2013: Reader in Molecular Plant Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
2005-2009: Senior Lecturer in Molecular Plant Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
2002-2005: Lecturer in Molecular Plant Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
1995-2002: Royal Society University Research Fellow. University of Southampton, UK.
1993-1995: Frontier Researcher. Laboratory for Photoperception and Signal Transduction, RIKEN, Japan.
1990-1993: Post-doctoral Research Fellow. University of California, Davis, USA.
Academic Qualifications
1990: PhD Biology. University of Southampton, UK.
1985: BSc Biochemistry. University of Southampton, UK.
2016: Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
2003: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy