About
My research focuses on plant-microbe-insect interactions and the development of sustainable, nature-based solutions for agriculture. I investigate the role of soil microbial inoculants and microbiome manipulation in enhancing plant resilience to biotic stressors, such as sap-feeding aphids, and a range of abiotic challenges. This work delivers both conceptual and mechanistic insights into microbial function and dynamics within plant-soil systems, framed within a community ecology context. I employ a range of approaches—from controlled pot experiments to large-scale field trials in cereal crop systems—integrating ‘omics tools and computational methods to uncover the molecular foundations of these complex multitrophic interactions. My research spans scales, from individual genes to ecosystems, for example examining the effects of microbial inoculants on natural enemy dynamics. In parallel, my work on aphid symbionts explores how microbial partners shape insect behaviour and influence plant-insect interactions in agroecosystems. The outcomes contribute to both ecological theory and practical innovations for advancing sustainable agricultural systems.
I studied BSc (Hons) Zoology and MSc Quantitative Genetics and Genome Analysis at The University of Edinburgh, before completing my PhD at The University of Manchester in Ecological Community Genetics. I then spent 8 years as a postdoc, transitioning to a junior group leader at the Technical University of Munich, Germany where I led research projects, supervised PhD students, and taught courses in Ecology, Experimental Design, and Research Methods. In 2019 I moved to The University of Liverpool as a BBSRC David Phillips Fellows.
Funded Fellowships
- David Phillips Fellowship (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), 2019 - present)