I graduated in 2024 with an Integrated Master’s degree in Biology from the University of York. During my undergraduate studies, I developed a strong interest in plant ecophysiology, specifically investigating how common wheat responds to heat stress and how bean plants alter their volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions under drought conditions.
Shortly after graduating, I joined the Schornack team and began a PhD programme in partnership with Syngenta. My research focuses on the largely overlooked impact of agrochemicals on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) within the regulatory framework of Plant Protective Product development.
My project leverages a betalain-based reporter line of Nicotiana benthamiana to establish a mycorrhizal test system that is quantitatively sensitive to chemical stress. The aim is to better understand how various agrochemicals influence mycorrhizal colonisation dynamics, and to support the integration of these insights into future regulatory assessments.
Rhizotron setup showing colonization of MycoRed lines by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) over the course of 11 days. AMF presence is indicated by the biosynthesis of betalain pigments, visible as red/pink.
