Plant Sciences
An internationally recognised centre for molecular plant science.
Plants form the basis of life on Earth providing food, fuel and even the oxygen we breathe. Research in plant science is central to facing global challenges of food security, renewable energy, conservation and climate change. The Division of Plant Sciences was established in 2007, creating an internationally recognised centre for molecular plant science addressing these themes by increasing understanding of genes and processes underpinning important plant traits (yield, disease resistance, stress tolerance, developmental characteristics, end-use quality).
Plant Sciences currently has eleven PIs and is supported by external funding from BBSRC, EU, industry and others. We are located at the James Hutton Institute on the outskirts of Dundee with whom we have a long-standing strategic partnership supported by five joint appointments, substantial collaborative external funding and PhD studentships.
The partnership brings together our discovery-based molecular plant science investigating fundamental questions of plant biology, with scientists with knowledge of applied research in crop species including front-line crop and pathogen genomics, genetics and cultivar production.
This vibrant centre for plant science provides opportunities for excellent scientists with research ideas relevant to funding priorities interested in developing new collaborations and translational opportunities.
We are passionate about engaging the public about our science and the critical importance of plants in all of our lives.
Head of Division
![Portrait photo of Paul Birch](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/paul-birch.jpg?itok=47qQMLu6&h=7e49b57e)
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Deputy Head of Division
![Portrait photo of Jorunn Bos](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/jorunn-bos.jpg?itok=DTLEnBlZ&h=2abc09be)
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Academic staff
![Portrait photo of Davide Bulgarelli](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/bulgarelli-davide.jpg?itok=GisY5KcM&h=6b8f09de)
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![Claire Halpin](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2022-11/claire-halpin.jpg?itok=dFhjzvVc&h=71483634)
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![Portrait photo of Ingo Heln](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/ingo-hein.jpg?itok=90IS1mD9&h=49571a7a)
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![Portrait photo of Piers Hemsley](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/piers-hemsley.jpg?itok=Vppn2DdZ&h=6b8f09de)
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![Edgar Huitema](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2023-03/edgar_huitema.jpg?itok=iZxrfpx8&h=ed21c1eb)
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![Portrait photo of Sarah McKim](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/sarah-mckim.jpg?itok=2ZIDaiES&h=13dc84a2)
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![Portrait of Gordon Simpson](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2019-09/gordon-simpson.jpg?itok=9zmmS79C&h=1807b500)
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![Portrait photo of Robbie Waugh](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2021-10/Robbie-Waugh_1.jpg?itok=_XSWakVQ&h=48fe561e)
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![Portrait photo of Martin Balcerowicz](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2022-02/Martin-Balcerowicz.jpg?itok=I3Gj9rTW&h=c71e0855)
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![Didier Ndeh](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2023-01/didier-ndeh_3.jpg?itok=mhCdFvjN&h=6471d689)
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Associates
![Portrait photo of Graham Christie](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2021-10/Christie-Graham.jpg?itok=DcncbehY&h=fb0aeb67)
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Emeritus
![portrait of Lyn Jones](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2022-02/Hamlyn-Jones.jpg?itok=4yu8wMEy&h=356c732d)
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![portrait of John Raven](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2022-02/John%20Raven%20headshot%20crop.jpg?itok=9drtqzdL)
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![portrait of Janet Sprent](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card_portrait/public/2022-02/Sprent%20Ja.jpg?itok=J_MGTGxf)
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Key contacts
Name | Role | |
---|---|---|
Jennifer Gallagher | Lab Manager | ps-labmanager@dundee.ac.uk |
Michele Liney | Lab Management Support Technician | PS-tech@dundee.ac.uk |
Margo Petrie | Divisional Secretary | PlantSciences-Admin@dundee.ac.uk |
Dr Davide Bulgarelli | Public Engagement Champion | d.bulgarelli@dundee.ac.uk |
Stories
![Ingo Hein, Jens Januschke and Stephen Land. Marios Stavridis and Susan Wyllie](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2024-06/Professors-SLS-2024.jpg?itok=ZFr8uIKA&h=b342b868)
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Ingo Hein, Jens Januschke, Stephen Land, Marios Stavridis and Susan Wyllie have been promoted to Personal Chair (Professor) as part of the 2023-24 Annual Review process for academic and research staff.
![Didier Ndeh (left) and Ralitsa Madsen (right)](/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2024-04/didier-ralitsa.png?h=0834e036&itok=mDeYOYAf)
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Didier Ndeh and Ralitsa Madsen have been promoted to Principal Investigator positions within the School of Life Science, following recent Roundtable Interviews.
![Jade Bleau](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2024-04/Jade-Bleau.jpg?itok=4DDBUn0n&h=949db431)
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Jade Bleau, PhD, a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the School of Life Sciences and the James Hutton Institute has been named as a winner in this year’s Black in Plant Science Research Excellence Awards.
![Sarah McKim standing in a park](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2022-10/S-Mkim.jpg?itok=BoDU7XXg&h=b34cd73f)
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Dr Sarah McKim and collaborators have been awarded £1.165M from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to study a feature of cereal plants what can help improve crops.
![Paul Birch and his team sitting outside a building at a bench surrounded by wildflowers](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-10/Paul-B-funding---Sept-2023.jpg?itok=h8Gv1sND&h=2f83cd36)
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Professor Paul Birch and collaborators at the James Hutton Institute have been awarded ~£679k to study how the potato blight pathogen suppresses the potato immune system.
![Dr Martin Balcerowicz (centre) and his team](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-10/Balcerowicz_Lab_photo_Sep2023.jpg?itok=ib1j1HJb&h=0deb76e4)
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Dr Martin Balcerowicz has been awarded ~£540k to study the molecular mechanisms by which plants react to their temperature environment.