Dr Alison Scott-Brown | Department of Plant Sciences

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Research Group

Epidemiology and Modelling Group

Biography

A current member of the Epidemiology and Modelling Group, promoting research impact with relevance to food security, plant biosecurity and biodiversity across regions in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Europe and UK. Additionally, collating science impact for an international food security programme, TIGR2ESS, across the six interdisciplinary flagship projects (India and UK).Research Interests.

Research Interests

Plant-insect interactions, using thrips as a model to unravel questions on host-plant selection, tolerance and resistance to invasive species. More recently focusing on mechanisms underpinning beneficial interactions (pollinating and predatory thrips), accumulating knowledge on benefits these bring in natural and agricultural settings.

Affiliations

Epidemiology and Modelling Group

TIGR2ESS Cambridge Global Food Security

Qualifications

PGCert in Science Communications - University of Cambridge

PhD in Biology - Birkbeck College, University of London

BSc Hons in Horticulture - University of Reading

Previous Positions

2015 to 2020 --Career Development Research Fellowship - Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew

2002 to 2015 - Scientific Officer - Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew

Publications

'Genome characterization of Brugmansia latent virus, a novel tobamovirus' (2020) Archives of Virology. doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04718-z

'Nocturnal pollination: An overlooked ecosystem service vulnerable to environmental change' (2020) Emerging Topics in Life Sciences. doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20190134

'Mechanisms in mutualisms: A chemically mediated thrips pollination strategy in common elder' (2019) Planta. doi.org/10.1007/s00425-019-03176-5

'Potential role of botanic garden collections in predicting hosts at risk globally from invasive pests: a case study using Scirtothrips dorsalis' (2018) Journal of Pest Science. doi.org/10.1007/s10340-017-0916-2

'Leaf trichomes and foliar chemistry mediate defence against glasshouse thrips; Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) in Rhododendron simsii' (2016) Functional Plant Biology. doi.org/10.1071/FP16045

Awards

Kew Guild - Host organisation: Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra

Committees

Honorary Research Associate - Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew

British Ecological Society College Review Panel

Fellow of the Linnean Society

Member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International’s Directory of Expertise; Plant Health and Biosecurity