Centre for Plant Sciences

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Plant growth suite at the University of Leeds

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Centre for Plant Sciences

Our purpose

Over the coming decades, a changing climate, a growing global population, and an increasing incidence of environmental stressors will have significant yet uncertain impacts on global food security.  Ensuring a sustainable and secure food supply for the future is an urgent global challenge.

Dr. Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Professor in Interdisciplinary Plant Sciences, Centre for Plant Sciences

Plants are essential food sources for humans and animals. Fundamental plant science and new agricultural technologies are critical to driving solutions that boost crop production, address food insecurity, and minimize environmental impact.

Plants provide sustainable materials, consumer goods like sugar and bioethanol, pharmaceuticals, and ornamental species that improve wellbeing. Through photosynthesis, they produce oxygen and sequester atmospheric CO2, acting as essential carbon sinks. By interacting with microbes to fix nitrogen and other nutrients, they play a critical role in mitigating climate change.

In the School of Biology, we deliver fundamental and applied research, and facilitate translation from the laboratory to farm environments tackling real-world challenges. 

We leverage recent breakthroughs in genomics with advanced biochemical, cellular, and molecular techniques to explore how plants grow, develop, and respond to abiotic stresses and diseases.

Examples of our research

Soil and sustainability

The role of plasmodesmata

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Unlocking the potential of pea

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The angles of plant roots

Plant development and cellular processes

We explore the intricate processes of plant development, gene and protein regulation, local and systemic coordination through hormones (e.g., auxin, cytokinin, and strigolactone) and other molecular signals such as peptides, sugars and mobile proteins. We also examine how plants coordinate developmental and environmental responses, intercellular communication and the secretory pathway.

Researchers in this area: Dr Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Professor Jurgen Denecke, Professor Stefan Kepinski, Dr Barry Causier and Dr Suruchi Roychoudhry.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi stained roots crop

Plant-environment interactions

We look at interactions in plant environments, particularly through studies on plant parasites specifically nematodes and plant responses to environmental stimuli which dictate architecture and growth. We work on transport mechanisms for nutrient uptake and recovery from soil and waste waters.

Researchers in this area: Professor P. E. Urwin, Dr Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Dr Chris Bell, Professor Stefan Kepinski, Professor Alison Baker and Dr Suruchi Roychoudhry.

Sustainable agriculture and net zero

We develop innovative agricultural technologies and integrate ecological principles to foster sustainable and net zero agriculture practices. By employing cross-disciplinary approaches and leveraging advanced biotechnological applications, our goal is to advance crop improvement and sustainable agricultural systems that are vital for global food security and ecosystem health.

Researchers in this area: Dr Ruth Wade, Dr Beth Dyson, Sebastian Stroud and Professor Stefan Kepinski

Genetics, epigenetics and plant breeding

We also research mechanisms of chromosomal stability, DNA repair, and meiotic and crossover recombination to enhance plant growth under environmental stress and develop climate-resilient crops. We also look at how these processes impact seed quality and reproduction.

Researchers in this area: Dr Natasha Yelina and Dr Chris West

Join our postgraduate research community

Doctoral Training Partnerships

Being a postgraduate researcher in the Faculty of Biological Sciences gives you the opportunity to become part of a vibrant and supportive research community.

Interdisciplinary networks

Our researchers have strong international and interdisciplinary networks. The Centre for Plant Sciences is involved in many national and international research collaborations including with Europe, USA, India, Japan and China.

We also work with researchers who are interested in Sustainable Ecosystems and Adaptation and Future Agrisystems to deepen fundamental knowledge and overcome common goals, such as food security and biodiversity loss.

Training the next generation of scientists

We share our knowledge and understanding to inspire future generations through our undergraduate and postgraduate degree portfolios. We are also dedicated to nurturing the academic and professional growth of our Master of Research (MRes) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students.