Genes and Greens: From Barley to Big Genomes

In Ireland, spring barley is the most cultivated cereal, and production must meet an increased demand of a flourishing malting industry (supporting both beer and Irish whiskey production). Climate change is causing extreme weather events such as flooding and droughts. Barley is the most susceptible cereal to waterlogging with yield losses of approximately 20-25%. I am using sophisticated techniques to understand the responses of barley to waterlogging and improve barely production in response to climate change.

Potatoes, wheat, strawberries all share the surprising fact that their entire genetic sequence doubled, tripled or even octupled during evolution. What does this mean for animals and cancer cells?

How does the shamrock fit into the tree of life? This talk explores how we’re tracing the evolutionary history of one of Ireland’s most enduring symbols using modern genomic and computational tools.

Plant blindness can undermine education and biodiversity conservation. This talk explores how art can counteract it by engaging diverse audiences and deepening personal connections with plants.