Dr Stuart Casson

School of Biosciences

Senior Lecturer

Image of Dr. Stuart Casson
Profile picture of Image of Dr. Stuart Casson
s.casson@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4235
Firth Court

Full contact details

Dr Stuart Casson
School of Biosciences
Firth Court
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile

I studied for my PhD at Durham University (1996-2000) and followed this with post-doctoral positions at Durham University and the University of Bristol. I joined the University of Sheffield as a lecturer in 2013.

Qualifications

Honours and distinctions

  • 2008 Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) Young Scientist Award
Research interests

I am a plant molecular biologist and my research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of plant development and how environmental signals, such as light, carbon dioxide and temperature, influence these mechanisms and then impact on how efficiently plants use water. This involves understanding how plants perceive these different signals and then initiate signalling responses (transcription, translation, post-translational modifications) to modify their development and physiology.
Much of my work uses stomata, the small pores on the surface of leaves, as a model system, and I have published extensively in this area (see publications below).

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2014) . Current Biology, 24(11), 1216-1221.
  • Chater CCC, Oliver J, Casson S & Gray JE (2014) . New Phytol, 202(2), 376-391.
  • Franks PJ & Casson S (2014) . New Phytologist, 201(4), 1079-1082.
  • Pantin F, Renaud J, Barbier F, Muller B, Simonneau T, Vavasseur A, Le Thiec D, Rose C, Bariac T, Casson S , McLachlan D et al (2013) . Current Biology.
  • Lindsey K, Mehdi S, Casson SA, Mudge AJ, Topping JF & Liu J (2013) , 40-45.
  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2012) . Sci Signal, 5(233), pe30.
  • Ruszala EM, Beerling DJ, Franks PJ, Chater C, Casson SA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(12), 1030-1035.
  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2010) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 13(1), 90-95.
  • Casson SA, Topping JF & Lindsey K (2009) . Plant J, 57(5), 857-869.
  • Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . CURR BIOL, 19(3), 229-234.
  • Gray JE, Casson S & Hunt L (2008) . Sci Signal, 1(49), pe53.
  • Casson S & Gray JE (2008) . NEW PHYTOL, 178(1), 9-23.
  • Casson SA, Spencer MWB & Lindsey K (2008) . Methods Mol Biol, 427, 111-120.
  • Spencer MWB, Casson SA & Lindsey K (2007) . Plant Physiol, 143(2), 924-940.
  • Lindsey K, Casson SA & Chilley PM (2006) , 23-27.
  • Chilley PM, Casson SA, Tarkowski P, Hawkins N, Wang KL-C, Hussey PJ, Beale M, Ecker JR, Sandberg GK & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Cell, 18(11), 3058-3072.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Physiol, 142(2), 526-541.
  • Dean G, Casson S & Lindsey K (2004) . PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 54(1), 71-84.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 158(1), 11-38.
  • Casson SA, Chilley PM, Topping JF, Evans IM, Souter MA & Lindsey K (2002) . Plant Cell, 14(8), 1705-1721.
  • Lindsey K, Casson S & Chilley P (2002) . Trends Plant Sci, 7(2), 78-83.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Flannery SE, Pastorelli F, Emrich‐Mills TZ, Casson SA, Hunter CN, Dickman MJ, Jackson PJ & Johnson MP (2023) . The Plant Journal.
  • Degen GE, Jackson PJ, Proctor MS, Zoulias N, Casson SA & Johnson MP (2023) . Plant Physiology, 192(1), 370-386.
  • Salazar-González JA, Castro-Medina M, Bernardino-Rivera LE, Martínez-Terrazas E, Casson SA & Urrea-López R (2023) . Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 152(3), 635-646.
  • Mawodza T, Menon M, Muringai N, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S (2022) . Plant and Soil, 481, 607-619.
  • Clark JW, Harris BJ, Hetherington AJ, Hurtado-Castano N, Brench RA, Casson S, Williams TA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2022) . Current Biology, 32(11), R539-R553.
  • Freeg HA, Attia KA, Casson S, Fiaz S, Ramadan EA, Banna AE, Zoulias N, Aboshosha A & Alamery S (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(3).
  • Tamayo-Ramos DI, Salazar-González JA, Casson SA & Urrea-López R (2022) . Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 150(2), 253-266.
  • Zoulias N, Rowe J, Thomson EE, Dabrowska M, Sutherland H, Degen GE, Johnson MP, Sedelnikova SE, Hulmes GE, Hettema EH & Casson SA (2021) . Current Biology, 31(24), 5622-5632.e7.
  • Mawodza T, Menon M, Brooks H, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S (2021) . Soil and Tillage Research, 212.
  • Movahedi M, Zoulias N, Casson SA, Sun P, Liang Y-K, Hetherington AM, Gray JE & Chater CCC (2021) . Interface Focus, 11(2).
  • Gu X, Fonseka K, Agneessens J, Casson SA, Smertenko A, Guo G, Topping JF, Hussey PJ & Lindsey K (2021) . New Phytologist, 230(2), 550-566.
  • Hepworth C, Wood WHJ, Emrich-Mills TZ, Proctor MS, Casson S & Johnson MP (2021) . Nature Plants, 7(1), 87-98.
  • Mawodza T, Burca G, Casson S & Menon M (2020) . Geoderma, 359.
  • Zoulias N, Brown J, Rowe J & Casson SA (2020) . PLoS ONE, 15(1).
  • Zoulias N, Harrison EL, Casson SA & Gray JE (2018) . Biochemical Journal , 475, 441-454.
  • 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.
  • Casson SA (2016) . Current Biology, 26(21), R1137-R1139.
  • Chater C, Peng K, Movahedi M, Dunn JA, Walker HJ, Liang YK, McLachlan DH, Casson S, Isner JC, Wilson I , Neill SJ et al (2015) . Current Biology, 25(20), 2709-2716.
  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2014) . Current Biology, 24(11), 1216-1221.
  • Chater CCC, Oliver J, Casson S & Gray JE (2014) . New Phytol, 202(2), 376-391.
  • Franks PJ & Casson S (2014) . New Phytologist, 201(4), 1079-1082.
  • Pantin F, Renaud J, Barbier F, Muller B, Simonneau T, Vavasseur A, Le Thiec D, Rose C, Bariac T, Casson S , McLachlan D et al (2013) . Current Biology.
  • Lindsey K, Mehdi S, Casson SA, Mudge AJ, Topping JF & Liu J (2013) , 40-45.
  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2012) . Sci Signal, 5(233), pe30.
  • Ruszala EM, Beerling DJ, Franks PJ, Chater C, Casson SA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(12), 1030-1035.
  • Barcala M, Garcia A, Cabrera J, Casson S, Lindsey K, Favery B, Garcia-Casado G, Solano R, Fenoll C & Escobar C (2010) . PLANT JOURNAL, 61(4), 698-712.
  • Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2010) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 13(1), 90-95.
  • Portillo M, Lindsey K, Casson S, Garcia-Casado G, Solano R, Fenoll C & Escobar C (2009) . MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, 10(4), 523-535.
  • Fonseka DLCK, Lindsey K, Topping J & Casson S (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 153A(2), S214-S214.
  • Casson SA, Topping JF & Lindsey K (2009) . Plant J, 57(5), 857-869.
  • Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . CURR BIOL, 19(3), 229-234.
  • Gray JE, Casson S & Hunt L (2008) . Sci Signal, 1(49), pe53.
  • Casson S & Gray JE (2008) . NEW PHYTOL, 178(1), 9-23.
  • Casson SA, Spencer MWB & Lindsey K (2008) . Methods Mol Biol, 427, 111-120.
  • (2007) . Plant Physiology, 143(4), 1982-1982.
  • Spencer MWB, Casson SA & Lindsey K (2007) . Plant Physiol, 143(2), 924-940.
  • Lindsey K, Casson SA & Chilley PM (2006) , 23-27.
  • Chilley PM, Casson SA, Tarkowski P, Hawkins N, Wang KL-C, Hussey PJ, Beale M, Ecker JR, Sandberg GK & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Cell, 18(11), 3058-3072.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Physiol, 142(2), 526-541.
  • Lindsey K, Spencer M & Casson S (2006) Transcriptional profiling of the Arabidopsis embryo. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 143(4), S137-S138.
  • Lindsey K, Casson S & Spencer M (2006) Laser-capture microdissection and DNA microarrays for the analysis of plant development. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 143(4), S119-S119.
  • Casson S, Spencer M, Walker K & Lindsey K (2005) . Plant J, 42(1), 111-123.
  • Mur LAJ, Xu R, Casson SA, Stoddart WM, Routledge APM & Draper J (2004) . Molecular Plant Pathology, 5(4), 267-280.
  • Dean G, Casson S & Lindsey K (2004) . PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 54(1), 71-84.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . New Phytologist, 158(2), 11-38.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . New Phytologist, 158(2), 417.
  • Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 158(1), 11-38.
  • Casson SA, Chilley PM, Topping JF, Evans IM, Souter MA & Lindsey K (2002) . Plant Cell, 14(8), 1705-1721.
  • Lindsey K, Casson S & Chilley P (2002) . Trends Plant Sci, 7(2), 78-83.
  • Casson SA (2000) Molecular characterisation of the POLARIS locus of Arabidopsis.
  • Hepworth C, Wood WHJ, Emrich-Mills TZ, Proctor MS, Casson S & Johnson MP () . Nature Plants, 7(2), 238-238.

Book chapters

  • Aalen RB, Abdel-Wahab YHA, Adams ME, Adan RAH, Ahima RS, Ahmed N, Al-Massadi O, Altstein M, Anouar Y, Anselmi L , Ansorge S et al (2013) , Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides (pp. xvii-xlix). Elsevier
  • Adams ME, Ait-Ali D, Allen SD, Altstein M, Amiche M, Anouar Y, Anselmi L, Ansorge S, Antcheva N, Appel JR , Arimura A et al (2006) , Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides (pp. xix-xxxviii). Elsevier

Conference proceedings

  • Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 153A(2) (pp S209-S209)
  • Lindsey K, Casson S & Topping J (2008) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 150(3) (pp S144-S144)
  • Mawodza T, Menon M, Casson S & Burca G () . Proceedings of EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online. Vienna, Austria, 4 May 2020 - 4 May 2020.

Preprints

  • Degen GE, Jackson PJ, Proctor MS, Zoulias N, Casson SA & Johnson MP (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Salazar-González J, Castro-Medina M, Martínez-Terrazas E, Casson SA & Urrea-Lopez R (2022) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Mawodza T, Menon M, Muringai N, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S (2022) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Gu X, Fonseka K, Casson SA, Smertenko A, Guo G, Topping JF, Hussey PJ & Lindsey K (2019) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Zoulias N, Brown J, Rowe J & Casson SA (2019) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Research group

I welcome applications from prospective home / EU / overseas PhD students and post-doctoral fellows.

Postdoctoral researchers

  • Dr Natalia Hurtado-Castano
  • Dr Saurabh Chaudhury

PhD students

  • Arnon Songlin

PhD opportunities: details of projects for self-funded students can be found on FindaPhD.com

Grants
  • 2024-2026 Leverhulme Trust; Beyond phytochromes: photosynthetic control of plant responses to far-red light
  • 2019-2023 Leverhulme Trust; Investigating the origin and evolution of stomata (Lead PI, Prof Alistair Hetherington, Bristol; Sheffield lead, Dr Stuart Casson)
  • 2019-2022 Leverhulme Trust; Elucidating metabolic control of photosynthetic membrane structure (PI Dr Matt Johnson; Co-I Dr Stuart Casson)
  • 2019-2022 BBSRC; Improving water use and accelerating breeding pipelines in Mexican avocado (PI Dr Stuart Casson)
  • 2016-2019 BBSRC; Photoreceptor optimisation of plant water use (PI Dr Stuart Casson)
Teaching activities

BIS125 (Building Blocks of Life)
BIS202 (Genetics 2)
BIS214 (The Green Planet)
BIS339 (Plant Biotechnology)
BIS351 (Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Development)

Professional activities and memberships

Advisory board: New Phytologist iScience 
Associate editor: Plant Development and EvoDevo section, Frontiers in Plant Science 
 

Links

Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil research cluster