Professor Katherine Denby 

Research

Research in my lab is focused on understanding plant-pathogen interactions as well as using large-scale data and new plant breeding techniques to meet the needs of UK and Global South agriculture and new production systems, such as vertical farming. We work with both the model plant Arabidopsis and leafy vegetables, lettuce, and amaranths.

My research on plant-pathogen interaction is aimed at understanding the gene regulatory networks controlling activation of defence responses and how these networks adapt the immune response to different pathogens. We use experimental and computational/mathematical tools to model gene regulatory networks and elucidate fundamental plant immunity mechanisms. As well as identifying targets for traditional crop improvement strategies, we take an engineering biology approach to re-wire these gene regulatory networks in precise ways using gene editing to enhance crop disease resistance in lettuce and other horticultural crops. Complementary work is investigating how fungal pathogen virulence is controlled and identifying targets in the pathogen for new biocontrol strategies.

As part of the FixOurFood programme we run an urban vertical farm in the centre of York - Grow It York - investigating how such a farm can have environmental and social benefits. We are also working on selecting and improving crops for vertical farming, focusing on yield and nutritional quality.

I am also interested in research with development impact, with an active collaboration with South African partners on generating improved varieties of leafy amaranth for cultivation by smallholder farmers.

Read more about our work and the Denbylab.