Research in my group focuses on the biology of plant stress responses. Using tomato and Arabidopsis as our main models, we study the regulation of responses to plant-insect and plant-pathogen interactions, as well as some aspects of abiotic stress. Our main current focus is on priming; the long-term 'memory' of plant stress and its impacts on future defence responses both within and between generations. We also work on the use of waste plant products as sources of defence-eliciting molecules for applications in crop protection.

More information is available from my lab web pages.

Administration

Mike has undertaken several key roles in management of LEC's delivery of UG teaching over the past decade. He currently acts as an Admissions Tutor and Chair of the FST Faculty Biological Safety, Health and Environment Committee.

Teaching

Mike’s main teaching includes:

• a first year undergraduate module, 'Developmental Biology' delivered as part of the BSc degree schemes in Biology and Zoology
• a second year undergraduate module, 'Environmental Physiology' delivered as part of the BSc degree schemes in Biology and Ecology & Conservation
• a third year undergraduate module, 'Host-Parasite Interactions' delivered as part of the BSc degree schemes in Biology, Zoology and Ecology & Conservation
• distance learning modules on 'Crop Biotechnology' and 'Plant Defence and Crop Protection' delivered as part of our Food Challenges for the 21st Century postgraduate programme.

Transgenerational defence priming in plants. Crop protection methods based on defence priming. Effects of biotic interactions on seed dormancy.

Current research areas:

Long-term priming of plant defence responses

• Mechanisms and applications of long-term priming of plant resistance to pests and diseases.
• Trans-generational phenotypic plasticity.

Effects of the environment on plant stress responses

• Interactions between ozone signalling and wound/herbivore responses in Arabidopsis.

Sustainable approaches to improved plant biotic and abiotic stress resistance

• Novel seed treatments which provide long-lasting increases in resistance against disease and insect pests in crop plants. This research has led to successful commercialisation.
• The development of novel combinations of bioactive compounds to enhance plant abiotic stress resistance.

These projects have been supported by ~£2 million external funding, including grants from BBSRC, Defra, NERC and industry.

1988-1991: Department of Botany, University of Leicester.
SERC/CASE PhD studentship

1991-1994: Department of Botany, University of Leicester.
Post-doctoral Research Associate funded by an AFRC grant to Dr. R.J. Scott.

1994-1996: The Plant Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of York.
Research Associate funded by a BBSRC ROPA award to Prof. D.J. Bowles.

1996-2001: The Plant Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of York.
Royal Society University Research Fellowship.

2001-2004: Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University.
Royal Society University Research Fellowship.

2004-2008: Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University.
Lecturer in Plant Science.

2008-2012: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University.
Lecturer in Plant Science.

2012-present: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University.
Senior Lecturer in Plant Science.