Our Research
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Agricultural Research
Enhancing pathogen resistance in crops
Projected increases in world population and a changing climate make future food security an increasingly important global and national issue. The big challenge is therefore to breed crops with enhanced tolerance to plant disease-causing organisms, and other adverse environmental conditions such as heat waves or frosts, without adversely compromising crop yield.
Declining water voles due to invasive American mink
Detecting the presence of water vole and American mink using environmental samples will have a significant impact on efforts to map both species distribution and manage conservation levels.
From trash to stash – converting yeast lytic vacuoles into protein storage vacuoles
This Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund project in Warwick Life Sciences aims to discover the full capabilities of using the yeast vacuole as a protein storage facility by expressing seed storage proteins within them.
What role do African buffalo play in virus circulation?
This Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund sponsored project hopes to characterise seroprevalence of RVF in African buffalo, characterise seroprevalence of RVF outside Kruger in cattle and finally estimate spill-over potential by determining which species mosquitoes are feeding on at both sides of the interface.
Out of the water! What is Tetracladium doing on land?
Previous work suggests that some species of Tetracladium colonise roots and increase productivity. This would be an excellent and non-GMO way of enhancing crop yields and the Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund is pleased to support this work.
Impacting global food security
Solving the X-ray structure of a critical auxin signal transduction protein if successful would have massive impact in food production and food security.
Keeping time for better nitrogen fixation
Matching rhizobial rhythms with the crop host to maximise nitrogen fixation.
Improving plant immunity and crop yield
In order to meet our targets for food security and production sustainability, it is important to develop resistant crops.
Improving tomatoes for us all.
Classic crop breeding methods rely on the genetic diversity present in elite lines, however recent studies have revealed that most of this diversity is hidden and inaccessible to classical breeders due to the so-called epigenetic (above genetics) regulation.
Reducing arsenic accumulation in rice grains
A research bursary has been awarded to Dr Mohan Thotegowdanapalya Chandrashekaraiah from the Warwick University School of Life Sciences. This will fund his project, entitled 'Development of a novel strategy to reduce arsenic accumulation in rice grains'.