ProfessorPietro Spanu
Professor of Molecular Plant Pathology
Department of Life Sciences - Faculty of Natural Sciences
Orcid identifier0000-0001-8928-6049
- Professor of Molecular Plant PathologyDepartment of Life Sciences - Faculty of Natural Sciences
- 020 7594 5384 (Work)
- 610, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, United Kingdom
RESEARCH
Overview
Our research group is interested in the molecular biology, development and pathogenicity of filamentous fungi that infect plants. We are currently focussing our attention on Blumeria graminis, the fungus that causes powdery mildew on barley and wheat.
The BBSRC funded the whole genome sequencing of the barley pathogen B. graminis f sp hordei. In collaboration with colleagues world-wide, we published the first results in 2010 (Spanu et al, 2010) and a further, in-depth analysis, of the genes encoding effectors of pathogenicity (Pedersen, et al 2012).
Our group’s current focus is on the functional characterisation of powdery mildew effectors and the understanding of the how these effectors work in modulating the host’s immunity and metabolism (Bindschedler et al 2009, 2011; Pliego et al, 2013; Pennington etc al 2019; Przydacz et al 2020).
The most recent developments of our research has been in exploring the role of smallRNA in signalling between pathogenic fungi and their plant hosts. This work is currently ongoing.
Our research group is interested in the molecular biology, development and pathogenicity of filamentous fungi that infect plants. We are currently focussing our attention on Blumeria graminis, the fungus that causes powdery mildew on barley and wheat.
The BBSRC funded the whole genome sequencing of the barley pathogen B. graminis f sp hordei. In collaboration with colleagues world-wide, we published the first results in 2010 (Spanu et al, 2010) and a further, in-depth analysis, of the genes encoding effectors of pathogenicity (Pedersen, et al 2012).
Our group’s current focus is on the functional characterisation of powdery mildew effectors and the understanding of the how these effectors work in modulating the host’s immunity and metabolism (Bindschedler et al 2009, 2011; Pliego et al, 2013; Pennington etc al 2019; Przydacz et al 2020).
The most recent developments of our research has been in exploring the role of smallRNA in signalling between pathogenic fungi and their plant hosts. This work is currently ongoing.