The global issues of Food Security and climate change unify research in this theme. We aim to use research to improve our understanding of what limits plant growth and reproduction with a view to increasing productivity without harming the environment. Current approaches to tackle this question range from molecular-based analysis of plant development and disease to ecological studies of agricultural ecosystems and marker assisted plant breeding.

We have particular strengths in functional genomics, bioinformatics, plant developmental biology, plant pathology, parasite biology, cell signalling and systems biology. Our research is helped by the Lady Emily Smyth Agricultural Research Station (LESARS) endowment, which can fund research of agricultural relevance.