Olivia Cousins - PhD student
“Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” (Wernher von Braun)
Contact
[email protected]
Blog
https://meristemjourneys.wordpress.com/
Research summary
Drought is becoming increasingly prevalent in both the UK and Australia, countries where wheat production is a huge commodity. Uncovering more about the interactions between wheat and the soil microbiome, the biological processes and physiological responses of wheat, particularly regarding water use and nitrogen uptake efficiency during drought conditions, means that we can tailor wheat to respond better to its changing environment whilst maintaining, or even increasing, yields. By improving drought and nutrient stress tolerance, we can subsequently improve food production.
I am undertaking a joint PhD program with University of Nottingham and University of Adelaide titled ‘Manipulating the soil microbiome for improved plant response to nitrogen and drought stress’. Half of my PhD time will be spent at University of Adelaide investigating physiological responses of wheat which lead to drought and nitrogen stress, by comparing drought and nutrient tolerant wheat varieties to non-tolerant varieties. My time spent at University of Nottingham will follow up the work I conducted in Adelaide, focusing on using X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) to quantify root responses and growth rates to abiotic stresses. I will also research into how the soil nitrogen cycle and soil microbiome will affect the ability of selected wheat varieties to tolerate a varying combination of nitrogen and water stresses.
My background
Before starting my PhD, I completed my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences with a Year in Australasia at the University of East Anglia. During this time, I spent a year studying at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, with plenty of opportunities to study plants in both wild natural habitats and lab environments, as well as undertaking a 10 week project at the Centre for AgriBioScience. For my final year research project, I conducted a 6 month Research Project at the John Innes Centre, investigating the effects of lectin on nodulation in peas. This helped develop my interest in plant-microbe interactions. Australia is a land of extreme, diverse climates and the variability of plant life has always intrigued me. I am really excited to see what science is accessible in Australia. My PhD will help launch me into a career where I can be more investigative and develop new techniques for creating better crop programs, whilst also communicating plant science in a fun way.
Country of Birth: United Kingdom
Hobbies: Dancing, creative writing, squash, playing pool.
A weird fact: I can make apple crumble whilst blindfolded.
Contact
[email protected]
Blog
https://meristemjourneys.wordpress.com/
Research summary
Drought is becoming increasingly prevalent in both the UK and Australia, countries where wheat production is a huge commodity. Uncovering more about the interactions between wheat and the soil microbiome, the biological processes and physiological responses of wheat, particularly regarding water use and nitrogen uptake efficiency during drought conditions, means that we can tailor wheat to respond better to its changing environment whilst maintaining, or even increasing, yields. By improving drought and nutrient stress tolerance, we can subsequently improve food production.
I am undertaking a joint PhD program with University of Nottingham and University of Adelaide titled ‘Manipulating the soil microbiome for improved plant response to nitrogen and drought stress’. Half of my PhD time will be spent at University of Adelaide investigating physiological responses of wheat which lead to drought and nitrogen stress, by comparing drought and nutrient tolerant wheat varieties to non-tolerant varieties. My time spent at University of Nottingham will follow up the work I conducted in Adelaide, focusing on using X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) to quantify root responses and growth rates to abiotic stresses. I will also research into how the soil nitrogen cycle and soil microbiome will affect the ability of selected wheat varieties to tolerate a varying combination of nitrogen and water stresses.
My background
Before starting my PhD, I completed my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences with a Year in Australasia at the University of East Anglia. During this time, I spent a year studying at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, with plenty of opportunities to study plants in both wild natural habitats and lab environments, as well as undertaking a 10 week project at the Centre for AgriBioScience. For my final year research project, I conducted a 6 month Research Project at the John Innes Centre, investigating the effects of lectin on nodulation in peas. This helped develop my interest in plant-microbe interactions. Australia is a land of extreme, diverse climates and the variability of plant life has always intrigued me. I am really excited to see what science is accessible in Australia. My PhD will help launch me into a career where I can be more investigative and develop new techniques for creating better crop programs, whilst also communicating plant science in a fun way.
Country of Birth: United Kingdom
Hobbies: Dancing, creative writing, squash, playing pool.
A weird fact: I can make apple crumble whilst blindfolded.