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Professor in the Department of Biosciences+44 (0) 191 33 43215

Biography

Research Interests

My research focusses on the molecular mechanisms that bring about freezing tolerance in plants and the regulation of genes that protect plants against low temperature and other forms of abiotic stress. We have been elucidating the roles of a number of genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana that determine the plant’s level of tolerance to freezing stress. One of these genes, sensitive-to-freezing6 (SFR6) encodes a component of the Mediator transcriptional coactivator complex, and is essential for the transcriptional response to low temperature that protects plants from freezing. My lab showed that specificity in plant Mediator function (the ability of the complex to “choose” which genes it switches on) is implemented through distinct individual subunit roles and we published work describing the molecular mechanism that allows this to happen (Hemsley et al, 2014). Recently we identified SFR8 as a gene that governs freezing tolerance by influencing cell wall structure (Panter et al., 2019) and ongoing research is elucidating a role for this gene in desiccation tolerance. Currently we are working with Dr Gabriele Sosso and Dr Tom Whale in Warwick University to elucidate the relationship between plant cell wall composition and ice formation in plant tissues 

Research interests

  • Plant freezing tolerance
  • Plant stress responses
  • Transcriptional regulation
  • Plant Cell wall
  • Mechanical properties of plant cells

Esteem Indicators

  • 2018: Invited lecture in Beijing: Invited to give a lecture at China Agriculture University in Beijing.
  • 2018: Invited speaker UNAM, Mexico: Invited to present a seminar at Dept of Biochemistry, UNAM, Mexico City
  • 2017: Appointed as external Examiner, Salford: External Examiner for Masters in Biotechnology, University of Salford
  • 2012: Elected member of GARNet advisory Committee (2012-2015): Elected to serve on the GARNet Committee to represent the interests of the Araidopsis research community.

    Invited (With Dr Kerry Franklin of Bristol University) by the Society for Experimental Biology to run a session entitled “Plant temperature responses: shaping development and enhancing survival?” at the SEB’s Annual meeting in Florence, July 2018.

Publications

Chapter in book

Journal Article

Supervision students