Group Leader
Mark’s research focuses on plant/pathogen interactions at the molecular and cellular level.
Mark explores the structure and function of intracellular disease resistance proteins (NLRs) – plant receptors which detect non-self molecules released by pathogens on infection.
He also investigates how host-translocated pathogen effector proteins function to promote disease. Understanding the genetic and structural changes involved in plant/pathogen interactions informs novel approaches to the challenge of breeding disease resistance in crops such as potato and rice.
- Intracellular plant receptors (NLRs) for disease resistance, including engineering
- How host-translocated pathogen proteins (effectors) promote disease
- Understanding the protein interactions between plants and pathogens