Professor Andrew Fleming

School of Biosciences

Chair in Plant Science

Andrew Fleming
Profile picture of Andrew Fleming
a.fleming@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4830
D57, Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Professor Andrew Fleming
School of Biosciences
D57
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • Faculty Director of Research & Innovation (2021-present)
  • Professor of Plant Science, University of Sheffield (2004-present)
  • Group Leader, ETH-Zurich, Switzerland (1998-2004)
  • Senior Assistant, University of Bern, Switzerland (1997-8)
  • Habilitation, University of Bern, Switzerland (1996)
  • Assistant, University of Bern, Switzerland (1989-1997)
  • Postdoctorate, ETH-Zurich, Switzerland (1988)
  • PhD Cambridge (1988)
  • BA Cambridge (1984)
Research interests

Our research is focused on understanding the mechanism of leaf development. In particular, we are interested in the interplay of cell growth and division, how these parameters are integrated into the developmental program controlling leaf structure, and the impact the resultant internal cellular architecture has on leaf function- particularly photosynthesis and water-use efficiency.

We take an integrated systems approach, using experimental data derived from advanced imaging, biochemistry and physiology to inform computational models, which we then use to develop testable hypotheses on how structure relates to function, utilising a range of genetic and experimental approaches to alter specific elements of the modelled system.

We have developed a keen interest in guard cells, working closely with the Gray lab and other partners to investigate how cell wall structure sets the limits for stomatal function and, thus, gas exchange in leaves. This work extends to seeking to understand how stomatal and mesophyll differentiation are co-ordinated, how mesophyll air space is formed, and the control of mesophyll cell shape and separation. Our most recent work extends to wall structure at the nanoscale via collaborations with the Hobbs and Amsbury groups.

These projects have allowed us to form valuable collaborations with colleagues around the globe with a view to potential applications of our research, with ongoing work in the UK looking at wheat leaf development and water-use, and research on sustainable rice production with researchers in China and Malaysia. 

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Lundgren MR, Mathers A, Baillie AL, Dunn J, Wilson MJ, Hunt L, Pajor R, Fradera-Soler M, Rolfe S, Osborne CP , Sturrock CJ et al (2019) . Nature Communications, 10(1), ---.
  • Woolfenden HC, Baillie AL, Gray JE, Hobbs JK, Morris RJ & Fleming AJ (2018) . Trends in Plant Science, 23(9), 822-832.
  • Lehmeier C, Pajor R, Lundgren MR, Mathers A, Sloan J, Bauch M, Mitchell A, Bellasio C, Green A, Bouyer D , Schnittger A et al (2017) . Plant Journal, 92(6), 981-994.
  • Carter R, Woolfenden H, Baillie A, Amsbury S, Carroll S, Healicon E, Sovatzoglou S, Braybrook S, Gray JE, Hobbs J , Morris RJ et al (2017) . Current Biology, 27(19), 2974-2983.e2.
  • Chater CC, Caine RS, Tomek M, Wallace S, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Lang D, MacAlister CA, Casson S, Bergmann DC , Decker EL et al (2016) . Nature Plants, 2.
  • Amsbury S, Hunt L, Elhaddad N, Baillie A, Lundgren M, Verhertbruggen Y, Scheller HV, Knox JP, Fleming AJ & Gray JE (2016) . Current Biology.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Shaw K, Thorne S, Chapman C, Fleming A, Hartley S & Gray J (2025) . Frontiers in Plant Science, 16.
  • Grand TM, Pitman JK, Williams AL, Smith LM & Fleming AJ (2025) . Plant Direct, 9(4).
  • Wilson MJ, McGregor S, Durney CH, Tomkins M, Armand J, Smith RS, Gray JE, Morris RJ & Fleming AJ (2025) . New Phytologist, 246(1), 192-203.
  • Colclough C, Briggs E, Olulana AF, Knight A, Pasquina-Lemonche L, Meacock O, Durham WM, Tartakovskii A, Amsbury S, Fleming A & Hobbs JK (2025) . Biophysical Journal, 124(3), 495a-495a.
  • Carroll S, Amsbury S, Durney CH, Smith RS, Morris RJ, Gray JE & Fleming AJ (2024) . Current Biology, 34(12), 2782-2783.
  • Waszczak C, Yarmolinsky D, Leal Gavarr¨®n M, Vahisalu T, Sierla M, Zamora O, Carter R, Puukko T, Sipari N, Lamminm?ki A , Durner J et al (2024) . New Phytologist, 241(2), 747-763.
  • Zhang Q, Tian S, Chen G, Tang Q, Zhang Y, Fleming AJ, Zhu X & Wang P (2024) . New Phytologist, 241(1), 82-101.
  • Sloan J, Wang S, Ngai QY, Xiao Y, Armand J, Wilson MJ, Zhu X & Fleming AJ (2023) . Plant Direct, 7(12).
  • Durney CH, Wilson MJ, McGregor S, Armand J, Smith RS, Gray JE, Morris RJ & Fleming AJ (2023) . Current Biology, 33(13), 2814-2822.e4.
  • Sloan JM, Mujab AAM, Mashitah J, Zulkarami B, Wilson MJ, Toh LS, Nur Zahirah AJ, Afiq K, Asyraf AT, Zhu X-G , Yaapar N et al (2023) . Rice, 16.
  • Xiao Y, Sloan J, Hepworth C, Fradera©\Soler M, Mathers A, Thorley R, Baillie A, Jones H, Chang T, Chen X , Yaapar N et al (2022) . New Phytologist.
  • Carroll S, Amsbury S, Durney CH, Smith RS, Morris RJ, Gray JE & Fleming AJ (2022) . Current Biology, 32(14), 3170-3179.e4.
  • Xiao Y, Sloan J, Hepworth C, Osborne CP, Fleming AJ, Chen X & Zhu X (2021) . Plant, Cell & Environment, 44(5), 1436-1450.
  • Wilson MJ, Fradera©\Soler M, Summers R, Sturrock CJ & Fleming AJ (2021) . Plant Direct, 5(4).
  • Caine RS, Chater CCC, Fleming AJ & Gray JE (2020) . Frontiers in Plant Science, 11.
  • Lundgren MR & Fleming AJ (2020) . The Plant Journal, 101(4), 845-857.
  • Baillie AL & Fleming AJ (2020) . New Phytologist, 225(3), 1120-1126.
  • Dunn J, Hunt L, Afsharinafar M, Meselmani MA, Mitchell A, Howells R, Wallington E, Fleming AJ & Gray JE (2019) . Journal of Experimental Botany, 70(18), 4737-4748.
  • Lundgren MR, Mathers A, Baillie AL, Dunn J, Wilson MJ, Hunt L, Pajor R, Fradera-Soler M, Rolfe S, Osborne CP , Sturrock CJ et al (2019) . Nature Communications, 10(1), ---.
  • Mathers AW, Hepworth C, Baillie AL, Sloan J, Jones H, Lundgren M, Fleming AJ, Mooney SJ & Sturrock CJ (2018) . Plant Methods, 14.
  • Woolfenden HC, Baillie AL, Gray JE, Hobbs JK, Morris RJ & Fleming AJ (2018) . Trends in Plant Science, 23(9), 822-832.
  • Lehmeier C, Pajor R, Lundgren MR, Mathers A, Sloan J, Bauch M, Mitchell A, Bellasio C, Green A, Bouyer D , Schnittger A et al (2017) . Plant Journal, 92(6), 981-994.
  • Fleming A (2017) . Current Biology, 27(22), R1231-R1233.
  • Carter R, Woolfenden H, Baillie A, Amsbury S, Carroll S, Healicon E, Sovatzoglou S, Braybrook S, Gray JE, Hobbs J , Morris RJ et al (2017) . Current Biology, 27(19), 2974-2983.e2.
  • Hunt L, Amsbury S, Baillie A, Movahedi M, Mitchell AM, Afsharinafar M, Swarup R, Denyer T, Hobbs J, Swarup K , Fleming AJ et al (2017) . Plant Physiology, 174(2), 689-699.
  • Chater C, Caine RS, Fleming AJ & Gray JE (2017) . Plant Physiology , 174(2), 624-638.
  • Chater CC, Caine RS, Tomek M, Wallace S, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Lang D, MacAlister CA, Casson S, Bergmann DC , Decker EL et al (2016) . Nature Plants, 2.
  • Amsbury S, Hunt L, Elhaddad N, Baillie A, Lundgren M, Verhertbruggen Y, Scheller HV, Knox JP, Fleming AJ & Gray JE (2016) . Current Biology.
  • Caine R, Chater CC, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Beerling DJ, Gray JE & Fleming AJ (2016) . Development, 143, 3306-3314.
  • van Campen J, Yaapar MN, Narawatthana S, Lehmeier C, Wanchana S, Thakur V, Chater C, Kelly S, Rolfe SA, Quick WP & Fleming AJ (2016) . Plant Physiology, 170(3), 1655-1674.
  • Kasprzewska A, Carter R, Swarup R, Bennett M, Monk N, Hobbs JK & Fleming A (2015) . The Plant Journal, 83(4), 705-718.
  • Fleming A (2015) . Nature Genetics, 47(7), 698-699.
  • Wallace S, Chater CC, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ & Fleming AJ (2015) . New Phytologist, 205(1), 390-401.
  • Goh H-H, Sloan J, Malinowski R & Fleming A (2014) . J Plant Physiol, 171(3-4), 329-339.
  • Dorca-Fornell C, Pajor R, Lehmeier C, P¨¦rez-Bueno M, Bauch M, Sloan J, Osborne C, Rolfe S, Sturrock C, Mooney S & Fleming A (2013) . Plant Journal, 76(6), 914-929.
  • O'Donoghue M-T, Chater C, Wallace S, Gray JE, Beerling DJ & Fleming AJ (2013) . J Exp Bot, 64(12), 3567-3581.
  • Pajor R, Fleming A, Osborne CP, Rolfe SA, Sturrock CJ & Mooney SJ (2013) . Journal of Experimental Botany, 64(2), 385-390.
  • Wallace S, Beerling DJ, Fleming A & Wellman CH (2012) . ÈÕ±¾»¨·Ûѧ»á»áÕI, 58(Special), 249.
  • Goh H-H, Sloan J, Dorca-Fornell C & Fleming A (2012) . Plant Physiol, 159(4), 1759-1770.
  • Malinowski R, Smith JA, Fleming AJ, Scholes JD & Rolfe SA (2012) . Plant Journal, 71(2), 226-238.
  • Malinowski R, Smith JA, Fleming AJ, Scholes JD & Rolfe SA (2012) . Plant J, 71(2), 226-238.
  • Fleming A (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(20), R840-R841.
  • Kuwabara A, Backhaus A, Malinowski R, Bauch M, Hunt L, Nagata T, Monk N, Sanguinetti G & Fleming A (2011) . Plant Physiol, 156(4), 2196-2206.
  • Chater C, Kamisugi Y, Movahedi M, Fleming A, Cuming AC, Gray JE & Beerling DJ (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(12), 1025-1029.
  • Malinowski R, Kasprzewska A & Fleming AJ (2011) . Plant J, 66(6), 941-952.
  • Wallace S, Fleming A, Wellman CH & Beerling DJ (2011) . AoB Plants, 2011, plr027.
  • Backhaus A, Kuwabara A, Bauch M, Monk N, Sanguinetti G & Fleming A (2010) . New Phytol, 187(1), 251-261.
  • Bergmann DC & Fleming AJ (2010) . CURR OPIN PLANT BIOL, 13(1), 1-4.
  • Backhaus A, Kuwabara A, Fleming A & Seiffert U (2010) Validation of unsupervised clustering methods for leaf phenotype screening. Proceedings of the 18th European Symposium on Artificial Neural Networks Computational Intelligence and Machine Learning Esann 2010, 511-516.
  • Sloan J, Backhaus A, Malinowski R, McQueen-Mason S & Fleming AJ (2009) . Plant Physiol, 151(4), 1844-1854.
  • Lee YP, Fleming AJ, Korner C & Meins F (2009) . PLANT BIOLOGY, 11(3), 273-283.
  • Braun N, Wyrzykowska J, Muller P, David K, Couch D, Perrot-Rechenmann C & Fleming AJ (2008) . PLANT CELL, 20(10), 2746-2762.
  • Reinhardt B, H?nggi E, M¨¹ller S, Bauch M, Wyrzykowska J, Kerstetter R, Poethig S & Fleming AJ (2007) . Plant J, 52(6), 1094-1104.
  • Beerling DJ & Fleming AJ (2007) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 10(1), 4-12.
  • Fleming AJ (2006) . Trends Cell Biol, 16(8), 397-402.
  • Wyrzykowska J, Schorderet M, Pien S, Gruissem W & Fleming AJ (2006) . PLANT PHYSIOL, 141(4), 1338-1348.
  • Fleming AJ (2006) . New Phytol, 170(4), 639-641.
  • Fleming AJ (2006) . Plant Mol Biol, 60(6), 905-914.
  • Fleming A (2006) . J Exp Bot, 57(9), 1863-1870.
  • Fleming AJ (2006) . J Exp Bot, 57(1), 25-32.
  • Fleming AJ (2006) . J Plant Res, 119(1), 31-36.
  • Fleming AJ (2005) Leaf initiation, differentiation and carbohydrate metabolism. COMP BIOCHEM PHYS A, 141(3), S295-S295.
  • Fleming AJ (2005) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 8(1), 53-58.
  • Fleming AJ (2005) . New Phytol, 166(1), 9-20.
  • Kende H, Bradford KJ, Brummell DA, Cho HT, Cosgrove DJ, Fleming AJ, Gehring C, Lee Y, McQueen-Mason S, Rose JKC & Voesenek LACJ (2004) Nomenclature for members of the expansin superfamily of genes and proteins. PLANT MOL BIOL, 55(3), 311-314.
  • Bariola PA, Retelska D, Stasiak A, Kammerer RA, Fleming A, Hijri M, Franks S & Farmer EE (2004) Remorins form a novel family of coiled coil-forming oligomeric and filamentous proteins associated with apical, vascular and embryonic tissues in plants. PLANT MOL BIOL, 55(4), 579-594.
  • Fleming AJ (2003) The molecular regulation of leaf form. PLANT BIOLOGY, 5(4), 341-349.
  • Wyrzykowska J & Fleming A (2003) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 100(9), 5561-5566.
  • Fleming AJ (2002) . Planta, 216(1), 17-22.
  • Schipper O, Schaefer D, Reski R & Fleming A (2002) Expansins in the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. PLANT MOL BIOL, 50(4), 789-802.
  • Fleming AJ (2002) . NATURE, 418(6899), 723-723.
  • van den Br?le S, M¨¹ller A, Fleming AJ & Smart CC (2002) . Plant J, 30(6), 649-662.
  • Li Y, Darley CP, Ongaro V, Fleming A, Schipper O, Baldauf SL & McQueen-Mason SJ (2002) . PLANT PHYSIOL, 128(3), 854-864.
  • Wyrzykowska J, Pien S, Shen WH & Fleming AJ (2002) . Development, 129(4), 957-964.
  • Pien S, Wyrzykowska J & Fleming AJ (2001) . Plant J, 25(6), 663-674.
  • Reidy B, N?sberger J & Fleming A (2001) . Journal of Experimental Botany, 52(364), 2243-2243.
  • Pien S, Wyrzykowska J, McQueen-Mason S, Smart C & Fleming A (2001) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 98(20), 11812-11817.
  • Reidy B, N?sberger J & Fleming A (2001) . J Exp Bot, 52(362), 1847-1856.
  • Reidy B, McQueen-Mason S, N?sberger J & Fleming A (2001) . Plant Mol Biol, 46(4), 491-504.
  • H?nggi E & Fleming AJ (2001) . Planta, 214(2), 326-329.
  • Fleming AJ, Caderas D, Wehrli E, McQueen-Mason S & Kuhlemeier C (1999) Analysis of expansin-induced morphogenesis on the apical meristem of tomato. PLANTA, 208(2), 166-174.
  • Fleming AJ, McQueenMason S, Mandel T & Kuhlemeier C (1997) . SCIENCE, 276(5317), 1415-1418.
  • Fleming AJ, Manzara T, Gruissem W & Kuhlemeier C (1996) . Plant J, 10(4), 745-754.
  • Canevascini S, Caderas D, Mandel T, Fleming AJ, Dupuis I & Kuhlemeier C (1996) . Plant Physiol, 112(2), 513-524.
  • Smart CC & Fleming AJ (1996) . J Biol Chem, 271(32), 19351-19357.
  • Mandel T, Fleming AJ, Kr?henb¨¹hl R & Kuhlemeier C (1995) . Plant Mol Biol, 29(5), 995-1004.
  • Smart CC, Fleming AJ, Chaloupkova K & Hanke DE (1995) . Plant Physiol, 108(2), 623-632.
  • MEIER I, CALLAN KL, FLEMING AJ & GRUISSEM W (1995) ORGAN-SPECIFIC DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION OF A PROMOTER SUBFAMILY FOR THE RIBULOSE-1,5-BIPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE OXYGENASE SMALL-SUBUNIT GENES IN TOMATO. PLANT PHYSIOL, 107(4), 1105-1118.
  • MEIER I, CALLAN KL, FLEMING AJ & GRUISSEM W (1995) . PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, 107(4), 1105-1118.
  • NEUENSCHWANDER U, FLEMING AJ & KUHLEMEIER C (1994) CYTOKININ INDUCES THE DEVELOPMENTALLY RESTRICTED SYNTHESIS OF AN EXTRACELLULAR PROTEIN IN PHYSCOMITRELLA-PATENS. PLANT J, 5(1), 21-31.
  • Fleming AJ & Kuhlemeler C (1994) . Plant Cell, 6(6), 789-798.
  • FLEMING AJ & HANKE DE (1993) THE REGULATION OF NAPIN GENE-EXPRESSION IN SECONDARY EMBRYOS OF BRASSICA-NAPUS. PHYSIOL PLANTARUM, 87(3), 396-402.
  • Smart CC & Fleming AJ (1993) . Plant J, 4(2), 279-293.
  • Fleming AJ, Mandel T, Roth I & Kuhlemeier C (1993) . Plant Cell, 5(3), 297-309.
  • KUHLEMEIER C, FLEMING AJ & MANDEL T (1993) THE PATTERNS OF GENE-EXPRESSION IN THE VEGETATIVE SHOOT APICAL MERISTEM. J CELL BIOCHEM, 30-30.
  • Fleming AJ, Mandel T, Hofmann S, Sterk P, de Vries SC & Kuhlemeier C (1992) Expression pattern of a tobacco lipid transfer protein gene within the shoot apex.. Plant J, 2(6), 855-862.
  • Fleming AJ, Gowing DJG & Hanke DE (1991) . Journal of Plant Physiology, 138(6), 717-721.
  • Krishnamoorthy M, Kamaruzali A, Toh LS, Sahud NAM, Khairulazlan KN, Jusoh M, Mujab AAM, Khalid K, Fleming A & Yaapar N () . Caraka Tani: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 40(3), 404-404.

Book chapters

  • Baillie AL & Fleming AJ () (pp. 1141-1176). Wiley
  • Fleming AJ () (pp. 85-108). Wiley
  • Fleming AJ () (pp. 203-226). Wiley
  • Fleming AJ () (pp. 1-22). Wiley
  • Fleming AJ () , Cell Cycle Control and Plant Development (pp. 203-226). Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Conference proceedings

  • Colclough C, Briggs E, Olulana AF, Knight A, Pasquina-Lemonche L, Meacock O, Mac Durham W, Tartakovskii A, Amsbury S, Fleming A & Hobbs JK (2025) Scanning probe microscopy uncovers the fungal cell wall at the nanoscale. BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 124(3)
  • Colclough C, Briggs E, Olulana AF, Knight A, Pasquina-Lemonche L, Meacock O, Durham WM, Tartakovskii A, Amsbury S, Fleming A & Hobbs JK (2025) Scanning probe microscopy uncovers the fungal cell wall at the nanoscale. BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 124(3)
  • Fleming AJ (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 153A(2) (pp S175-S175)
  • Malinowski R, Kuwabara A, Backhaus A & Fleming A (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 153A(2) (pp S181-S181)
  • Fleming A (2008) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 150(3) (pp S142-S142)

Preprints

  • White E, Wilson MJ, Summers R, Uauy C & Fleming A (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Grand TM, Pitman JK, Williams AL, Smith LM & Fleming AJ (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Zhang Q, Tian S, Chen G, Tang Q, Zhang Y, Fleming AJ, Zhu X-G & Wang P (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Jen S, Saranrat I-C, Ngai QY, Yi X, Jodie A, Wilson MJ, Xin-Guang Z & Fleming AJ (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Waszczak C, Vahisalu T, Yarmolinsky D, Sierla M, Zamora O, Gavarr¨®n ML, Palorinne J, Carter R, Pandey AK, Nuhkat M , Carmody M et al (2020) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Research group

Research Fellows

  • Sam Amsbury (BBSRC Discovery Fellow) Untangling the Plant Cell Wall

 

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Matthew Wilson (BBSRC) - Shape Shifting Stomata: The Role of Geometry in Plant Cell Function
  • Jen Sloan (Royal Society)- Breeding Rice Resilient to a High CO2 Future

Research Technicians

  • Marion Bauch (Research Lab Manager): Shape Shifting Stomata
  • Jodie Armand (Research Technician): Shape Shifting Stomata

PhD students 

  • Sarah Carroll (BBSRC-DTP) - Shifting shape with cell walls: imaging the dynamics of guard cell movement (co-supervisor Julie Gray)
  • Shiv Gangarparsad (Leverhulme CABM) Spatiotemporal modelling of air channel network function and optimisation (co-supervisors Visakan Kadirkamana & Bryn Jones)
  • Shauni McGregor (BBSRC-DTP) Investigating the structure of grass stomatal cell walls (co-supervisor Julie Gray)
  • Tom Grand (BBSRC CASE with AHDB) The mechanism of cell cycle repression by sprouting inhibitors (co-supervisor Lisa Smith)
  • Saranrat Im-Chai (Thai Government) Using metabolite imaging to test a 3D spatial model of photosynthesis
  • James Pitman (BBSRC CASE with AHDB) From metabolic markers to growth suppression in potato (co-supervisor Heather Walker)
  • Shanshan Wang Improving photosynthesis and water-use efficiency in rice
  • Emma White (BBSRC CASE with RAGT Seeds) Improving water-use efficiency in wheat by modulating leaf structure

 

MRes and MBiol Sci students

  • Alexander Williams
  • Inesh Amaranth
  • Qi Ngai
Grants
  • BBSRC Newton Trust, A 3-D model of photosynthesis to Inform breeding for improved rice performance in a changing climate (2016-2019)
  • Wolfson Foundation, Plant Phenotyping Platform (2016-2017)
  • BBSRC-iCASE Award, Engineering the rice leaf for improved photosynthesis (2016-2020)
  • BBSRC-iCASE Award, Imaging Metabolism in Plants (2016-2019)
  • BBSRC-iCASE Award, Engineering a better wheat leaf (2015-2019)
  • BBSRC-CASE award, Developmental metabolomics of the meristem (2014-2018)
  • Gatsby Foundation, Optimising leaf structure for photosynthesis (2013-2017)
  • BBSRC-CASE award, Optimisation of crop leaf form for improved photosynthesis (2012-2016)
  • BBSRC, Optimising photosynthetic efficiency via leaf structure (2012-2015)
  • BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award, Atomic Force Microscopy analysis of plant tissue (2010-2014)
  • Leverhulme Trust, Molecular analysis of club root infection in Arabidopsis (Co-PI) (2009-2012)
  • Yorkshire Forward, Optimising fibre quality in renewable energy crops (2009-2011)
  • European Union, Marie Curie Award, MolCalm (2009-2011)
  • BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award, Imaging metabolism in the meristem (2008-2012)
Teaching activities

Reflecting my research interests, my main teaching involves aspects of plant development.
How something apparently simple (a cell) becomes something incredibly complicated (a mature, multicellular organism) in a robust and reproducible fashion? In plants, structure and function are closely entwined, with my teaching covering fundamental aspects of biochemistry, physiology, cell biology and genetics.

I currently co-ordinate and teach on the following module:

BIS106 Plant Science: How to make a plant
This is an introductory module on plant biology, encompassing development, growth and reproduction, as well as how plant interactions with microbes underpin much of life on the planet. The course also includes an introduction to fungi- the hugely important class of organisms which are strangely ignored in many biology courses.

I also lecture on
BIS316 Future Plants: From laboratory to field
My lectures in this third year module focus on some of the "Grand Challenges" in plant and crop biology, with an emphasis on efforts to engineer plants with improved photosynthesis, nutrition and water-use.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Gatsby Plant Science Mentor
  • Advisory Board ¡°New Phytologist¡±
  • White Rose BBSRC DTP Management Board
  • Advisor to the Commonwealth Scholarship Committee (2014-present)
  • Treasurer of the British Society for Developmental Biology (2009-2014
  • BBSRC PMS committee/committee B core member (2007-2011)
  • British Society for Developmental Biology, Committee member (2004-2014)
  • Invited Co-Editor for Current Opinion in Plant Biology (2010)
  • Associate Editor of Plant Molecular Biology (2009-2013)
  • The Society for Experimental Biology, Plant Gene Structure and Function Co-Convenor (2006-2010)
  • Referee for various international journals and funding agencies (2004-present)
Honours and awards
  • Leverhulme Research Fellow, Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University (2015-16)
  • Visiting Fellowship, Clare Hall (2015-16)
  • Director of the Robert Hill Institute (2013-present)
  • Swiss National Science Foundation START Fellowship (1998-2004)
  • EMBO Fellowship, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands (1990)
  • Bye-Fellowship Magdalene College (1986)
  • Scholarship Magdalene College (1982-1984)
     

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