Dr Juliet Coates

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Juliet's research interests include development, evolution, plant science and cell biology - in particular understanding how plants made the transition to land and how they survived once they got there. Dr Coates has a very strong interest in supporting inclusion and diversity in research, teaching and academic processes.

Scientific Inspiration

There is not one ‘who’. I believe that we need to understand humans and human behaviour/interpersonal relationships as well as our chosen subject to be a really great scientist.

Research Groups

Plant Science and Food Security

Structural and Molecular Cell Biology

Phenome Centre Birmingham

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Compassionate, inclusive, student-centred.

Provision of Training

We will define your training programme together based on your strengths and needs. Support will come from myself and the wider community as required. My aim is for you to become an independent and collaborative scientist.

I am experienced in inclusive supervision and have an excellent understanding of DEI issues including disability and neurodiversity.

Progression Monitoring and Management

We will define both your broad aims and specific objectives together with regular support from myself and the broader community. We have regular meetings in addition to the ‘required’ progression contact points, and can instigate further support as you need.

Communication

We communicate in whatever ways work best for the individual, with balanced and realistic/reasonable expectations of each others’ working arrangements.

I work part time, part-remote and flexibly; I am responsive to email and can be available by Zoom if I am working from home. I do not work weekends.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once a fortnight

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once a week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once a week

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once a week

These meetings will be a mixture face to face, via video chat or telephone. I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days a week.

Working Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is flexible, and other than attending pre-arranged meetings, I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week's notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Current Projects (2025-26)

Primary supervisor for:

Understanding plant development and evolution in the context of environmental responses

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Understanding plant development and evolution in the context of environmental responses

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Daniel Gibbs, Dr Lindsey Compton, (depending on exact project) Dr Eugenio Sanchez-Moran (depending on exact project)

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes: Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Plant and Crop Science)

Project Outline

The aim of the project is to understand how plants have adapted to respond to environmental challenges throughout evolutionary time by investigating key plant transcriptional regulators. Understanding these fundamental evolutionary processes enables application of this knowledge to mitigating the current global challenges associated with climate change, including food insecurity and ecological degradation.

We have recently discovered new roles for various transcriptional regulators in plant responses to light, sulphur deprivation and flooding/hypoxia.

The project will take molecular, genetic, cell biological, ‘omics and evo-devo approaches across a range of potential plant systems to further understand the functions and regulatory networks of the key transcriptional regulators. The project will include comparative work using seed plants (e.g. Arabidopsis, tomato, potato, barley) and non-seed plants (Physcomitrium (moss), Marchantia (liverwort)) and can be flexible to fit the research interests and expertise of the applicant.

References

Phokas A, Meyberg R, Briones-Moreno A, Hernandez-Garcia J, Wadsworth PT, Vesty EF, Blazquez MA, Rensing SA, Coates JC.

DELLA proteins regulate spore germination and reproductive development in Physcomitrium patens. New Phytol. 2023 238 p.654-672 doi: 10.1111/nph.18756.

Phokas A, Coates JC. (2021) Evolution of DELLA function and signalling in land plants. Evolution and Development 23 p.137-154 doi: 10.1111/ede.12365

Gibbs DJ, Voß U, Harding SA, Fannon J, Moody LA, Yamada E, Choudhary A, Bradshaw SJ, Swarup K, Lavenus J, Bassel GW, Nibau C, Bennett MJ, Coates JC. (2014) AtMYB93 is a novel negative regulator of lateral root initiation in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 203 p.1194-207

Gibbs DJ, Coates JC (2014) AtMYB93 is an endodermis-specific transcriptional regulator of lateral root development in Arabidopsis. Plant Signalling and Behaviour DOI: 10.4161/psb.29808

Co-supervisor on a project with Professor Daniel Gibbs.

Previous Projects (2024-25)

Primary supervisor for:

Understanding plant development and evolution in the context of environmental responses

Co-supervisor on a project with Professor Daniel Gibbs.