Staff and Publications Teams
Our staff team work with the board to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and our communications. The publications team are responsible for editing our journals and newsletter. All are invited to attend board meetings.
Staff
Dr Louise Gathercole
Executive Director
Dr Jennie Brierley
Society AdministratorI have a part-time research position at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee. My main research interests are developing the use of molecular diagnostic techniques for the detection and quantification of seed and soil-borne potato pathogens: both as a research tool to investigate disease epidemiology, and in supporting the management of potatoes by quantifying disease risk. At present I am focusing on the effect of crop management practices, in particular, the effect of soil organic matter content on the introduction and persistence of pathogens through a crop rotation.
Dr Sophia Bellamy
Publicity and Communications OfficerIn my role as the Publicity and Communications Officer for the British Society for Plant Pathology (BSPP), I work with board members to effectively communicate developments in plant pathology, from event updates to cutting-edge research. Please feel free to reach out to explore potential collaborations and promotional opportunities with the BSPP. My academic journey led to the completion of a PhD at Reading University, where I conducted research at NIAB in East Malling. My work focused on biocontrol methods for brown rot management in cherries, following prior research on bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae) on cherry trees.
Publications
Prof. Ralph Dean
Editor in Chief, Molecular Plant PathologyProf. Dean’s research program primarily focuses on Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast disease. Worldwide, this disease is estimated to kill enough rice annually to feed over 60 million people. Much work hascentered on the signaling pathways, particularly cAMP in regulating the initiation and development of appressorium formation, a specialized cell required by M. oryzae and many other pathogenic fungi for attachment to and penetration of host tissues. Following completion of the genome sequence and deep transcriptional profiling, his research has focused on functional and post genomic approaches to develop a systems view of fungal pathogenesis. Read more here: https://www.cifr.ncsu.edu/ralph-dean/
Tel:+1 919 513-0020
Address:Center for Integrated Fungal Research, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Dr Dilantha Fernando
Senior editor of Plant Pathology
Dr Stephen Parnell
New Disease Report (NDR) EditorStephen is a plant disease epidemiologist and modeller based at the Warwick Crop Centre and Zeeman Institute for infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Warwick. His research focuses on emerging plant pests and diseases, using quantitative and computational models to understand their spread and to evaluate strategies for their early detection and effective control.
