Professor Ian Henderson

  • • Head of Genetic and Epigenetic Inheritance in Plants
  • • Professor of Genetics and Epigenetics
Available to supervise doctoral students
Professor Ian Henderson

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About

Ian Henderson is Head of Genetic and Epigenetic Inheritance in Plants at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge.

Previous Positions

2020 to present - Professor of Genetics and Epigenetics - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England

2016 to 2020 - Reader - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England

2012 to 2016 - Lecturer - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England

2008 to present - Royal Society University Research Fellow and Gatsby Resident Fellow - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, England

2004 to 2008 - Postdoctoral Researcher with Professor Steve Jacobsen - University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Qualifications

2004 - PhD Studentship in Plant Genetics, supervisor Professor Dame Caroline Dean - John Innes Centre, Norwich, England

2000 - BA in Biological Sciences - University of Oxford, England

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Awards & Fellowships

2022 - Member - European Molecular Biology Organization

2013 - President's Medal - Society for Experimental Biology

2008 to 2016 - University Research Fellow - Royal Society

2008 to 2016 - University Research Fellow - Gatsby

2004 to 2008 - Long Term Fellowship - European Molecular Biology Organization

Research

Research Group 

Genetic and Epigenetic Inheritance in Plants

Research Overview

My group are investigating the control of meiotic recombination frequency in plant genomes by genetic and epigenetic factors. For example, we have worked extensively to show that crossover frequency is shaped by euchromatin and heterochromatin at the scale of hotspots and whole chromosomes. Using natural genetic variation we have identified the first recombination modifier loci that shape crossover frequency in different parts of the genome. We predominantly use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana for our studies, but we are also seeking to translate this knowledge into agricultural species, for example wheat and tomato, in order to accelerate breeding as we adapt our crops to the changing climate. Most recently we have been using long read DNA sequencing, including nanopore, to assemble highly repetitive regions of plant genomes, for example the centromeres. We are interested to explore how chromatin and recombination pathways interact to control the repeat architecture of these regions.

School of Biological Sciences Theme Affiliations

Organisms, Evolution and Ecology

Functional and Evolutionary Genomics

Publications

Selected publications

Cycles of satellite and transposon evolution in Arabidopsis centromeres 17 May 2023 Nature Piotr Wlodzimierz, Fernando A Rabanal, Robin Burns, Matthew Naish, Elias Primetis, Alison Scott, Terezie Mandáková, Nicola Gorringe, Andrew J Tock, Daniel Holland, Katrin Fritschi, Anette Habring, Christa Lanz, Christie Patel, Theresa Schlegel & et al The genetic and epigenetic landscape of the Arabidopsis centromeres 12 November 2021 Science Matthew Naish, Michael Alonge, Piotr Wlodzimierz, Andrew J Tock, Bradley W Abramson, Anna Schmücker, Terezie Mandáková, Bhagyshree Jamge, Christophe Lambing, Pallas Kuo, Natasha Yelina, Nolan Hartwick, Kelly Colt, Lisa M Smith, Jurriaan Ton & et al Crossover-active regions of the wheat genome are distinguished by DMC1, the chromosome axis, H3K27me3, and signatures of adaptation 23 August 2021 Genome Research Andrew J Tock, Daniel M Holland, Wei Jiang, Kim Osman, Eugenio Sanchez-Moran, James D Higgins, Keith J Edwards, Cristobal Uauy, F Chris H Franklin & Ian R Henderson HIGH CROSSOVER RATE1 encodes PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE X1 and restricts meiotic crossovers in Arabidopsis 12 April 2021 Nature Plants Divyashree C Nageswaran, Jaeil Kim, Christophe Lambing, Juhyun Kim, Jihye Park, Eun-Jung Kim, Hyun Seob Cho, Heejin Kim, Dohwan Byun, Yeong Mi Park, Pallas Kuo, Seungchul Lee, Andrew J Tock, Xiaohui Zhao, Ildoo Hwang, Kyuha Choi & Ian R Henderson ASY1 acts as a dosage-dependent antagonist of telomere-led recombination and mediates crossover interference in Arabidopsis 4 June 2020 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Christophe Lambing, Pallas C Kuo, Andrew J Tock, Stephanie D Topp & Ian R Henderson

Teaching and supervision

Available to supervise doctoral students

Teaches about plant genetics and its application to food security.