Research
Current research - onion and garlic
This has developed from my earlier work on the biosynthesis of flavour precursors in onions and garlic, working in collaboration with UK growers and consultants, as well as biological and medical scientists in the EU and USA. One unexpected outcome was improved classification of onions for the UK market, including development of a new, sweet onion crop for the UK (see personal website).
I have provided consultancy to industry and the media on flavours and secondary metabolites and about fungal control and identification. In November 2013 I appeared on BBC1 in 'Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds' to talk about onion flavour and watch him cook. See a clip at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ldds9
Current research - plants and fungi
My research interests centre on how plants and fungi respond to their environment, including through the production of secondary metabolites. My research with fungi has concentrated on their roles as pathogens (white rot of onion) and mycorrhiza in the life history of the bee orchid.
Research grants
Regulated Transcript Stability
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2007 - June 2010
Garlic & Health: the development of high quality garlic and its influence on biomarkers of artherosclerosis and cancer in humans for disease prevention.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
February 2000 - April 2004
Improvement of some potential forage crops for livestock in Saudi Arabia
KING SAUD UNIVERSITY (SAUDI ARABIA)
January 2012 - September 2015
OVS Health Trust Fellowship programme
CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION (UK)
November 2011 - February 2014
Wazeera Abdullah - bench fees
REPUBLIC OF IRAQ MINISTRY OF EDUCATION🚩
August 2014 - September 2016
Co-ordination of nitrate and nitrogen metabolite signalling at the level of transcript stability.
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2001 - April 2004
Sensing and the biological response in plants (SENSIBLE).
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
April 2006 - March 2010
Proteomic lead analysis of nitrogen regulation and signalling in aspergillus nidulans.
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
November 2003 - October 2006
Aleya Ferdausi - Bench Fees
ASSOCIATION OF COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITIES (UK)
August 2014 - January 2016
University of Liverpool Institutional Discipline Bridging.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2003 - October 2006
UK fundamentals for mild onion production.
MINISTRY AGRIC/FISHERIES/FOOD
January 1998 - December 2001