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Research group

Plants and Food Security

Dragonfly on green crops.

We study the response of plants to the environment at the molecular, whole plant and ecological levels. This includes interactions with nematodes, insects and microbes.

Part of Biological sciences

About

Within the group there are 4 main areas of research:

  • Plant molecular biology: we research a wide range of crops from wheat, barley and rice, to crops that are currently underutilised, but have future potential as staple foods.
     
  • Agricultural ecology: we study the interaction of plants and other organisms in the context of agricultural ecosystems.
     
  • Crop pests and pollinators: we focus on the interaction of crops with both beneficial insects such as pollinators, as well as a range of important agricultural pests.
     
  • Human nutrition: we look into the consequences of altered nutrition on human health and development including epigenetic control of gene expression.

Research highlights

Person picking cocoa plant in forest

Securing food for the future

Environment, sustainability and clean growth
Health and wellbeing
Future societies and communities
天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 researchers are finding ways to provide food security for the future.

People, projects and publications

People

Professor Alan Marchant PhD, SFHEA

Professorial Fellow-Education

Research interests

  • My previous research interests centred on the role of auxin transport in plant development and the synthesis and function of the plant cell wall. I use my experience in these research areas to inform the teaching that I deliver.
Connect with Alan

Email: A.Marchant@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4363

Professor Charles Keevil

Professor In Environmental Health Care
Connect with Charles

Email: C.W.Keevil@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4726

ORCID

Dr Daniel Stabler

Lecturer in Plant-Organism Interactions

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Daniel

Email: D.Stabler@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 7064

Dr Herman Wijnen Drs, PhD, FHEA

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Control of Daily Rhythms by Circadian Clocks and the Environment
  • Genetics, Behaviour and Neuroscience of the fruit fly Drosophila
  • Chronophysiology of Invertebrates in Association with Global Environmental Change and Food Security

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Herman

Email: H.Wijnen@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4336

Google Scholar
ORCID
LinkedIn
Twitter

Dr Jan Janouskovec PhD

Lecturer in Ecology

Research interests

  • Marine phytoplankton and parasites
  • Symbiotic interactions
  • Biodiversity, evolution, genomics

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Jan

Email: J.Janouskovec@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 2380 590 258

Google Scholar
ORCID

Professor Jeremy Webb

Professor of Microbiology

Research interests

  • Microbial biofilms and their control
  • Adaptive biology and evolution of microorganisms
  • Biofilm-associated infection

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Jeremy

Email: J.S.Webb@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4390

ORCID

Miss Kathryn De Abreu

Connect with Kathryn

Email: kda1g11@soton.ac.uk

ORCID

Professor Lindy Holden-Dye BSc, MSc, PhD, FRSB, FBPhS

PROFESSOR OF NEUROSCIENCES

Research interests

  • Neuropharmacology
  • Invertebrate neuroscience
  • Nematode neurobiology

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Lindy

Email: L.M.Holden-Dye@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 9006

ORCID
LinkedIn

Dr Marc Dumont

Lecturer in Environmental Microbiology

Research interests

  • Methanotrophs and methane cycling
  • Microbial communities in soils, sediments, and aquatic systems
  • Biogeochemical cycles

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Marc

Email: M.G.Dumont@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4369

ORCID

Professor Mark Chapman

Professor

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Mark

Email: M.Chapman@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4396

ORCID