Dr Ludi Wang

My current research investigates the mechanisms governing floral sexuality in grasses to understand how deeply conserved genes drive developmental processes and the rapid diversification of angiosperms.

My previous research career centred on the molecular mechanisms and signalling networks underlying cell-cell communication. During my PhD, supervised by James Doughty at the University of Bath, I functionally characterised a group of cysteine-rich proteins (CRPs), the pollen coat protein B class (PCP-Bs), as key regulators of pollen-stigma compatibility [1]. I also conducted proteomic studies to identify pollen coat-derived signalling peptides, uncovering numerous previously unreported CRPs [2]. In 2017, I joined Aberystwyth University as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, working with Maurice Bosch and Vernonica (Noni) Franklin-Tong. My work focused on downstream signalling and cellular responses in pollen tubes undergoing programmed cell death during poppy self-incompatibility (SI) using engineered Arabidopsis thaliana [3, 4, 5].

Broadly, I am fascinated by the determination and execution of cell fate and how these processes optimise multicellular organisation. This interest drives my exploration of floral sexuality, reproductive strategy, and cell signalling—factors that govern development and reproduction. By bridging fundamental developmental biology with plant productivity, I aim to identify novel breeding targets and food preservation strategies to enhance global food security.

[1] Wang et al., 2017. New Phytol, 213: 764-77. DOI:10.1111/nph.14162

[2] Wang et al., 2023. Biomolecules,13: 157. DOI:10.3390/biom13010157

[3] Wang et al., 2020. J. Exp. Bot, 71: 2451-2463. DOI:10.1093/jxb/eraa092

[4] Wang et al., 2022. New Phytol, 236: 1691-1707. DOI:10.1111/nph.18350

[5] Wang et al., 2026. The Plant Cell, 38: koag031. DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koag031