The Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security

The Elizabeth Creak Trust has generously donated £1m over 5 years to create the position of Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security. In 2016, we welcomed Professor Murray Grant to this post. Professor Grant’s research interests are in the molecular basis of plant microbe interactions and he is raising our profile in fundamental and strategic plant and crop science. As Elizabeth Creak chair he is contributing to sustainability of the agriculture industry in the UK and globally through research, education and public engagement.

Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust PhD Studentship

Scott Dwyer is studying the biologically-based control of the varroa mite. One of the greatest issues facing honey bees is the mite Varroa destructor. It is a parasitic mite that transmits pathogenic viruses to honey bees by feeding on their blood. It originates from Asia and arrived in the UK in 1992. Since then it has caused issues in overwintering success of honey bee colonies and resulted in an increase in colony losses. It is resistant to pesticides. This project studies the potential of entomopathogenic fungi as a potential biopesticides for control of the Varroa mite.

The funding towards my PhD programme has been pivotal in enabling me to be part of an amazing community of researchers who have a fantastic focus on basic and applied research within agriculture, horticulture and food security. This support has helped shaped my development and passion for mycology and entomology (particularly honey bees) throughout my PhD.

Scott Dwyer,
Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust
PhD Studentship

The Trust's support for the Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security is making a significant difference to our research and impact programme. Warwick is very strong in Plant and Crop Science with scientists researching all aspects of plant health, production and basic plant biology. The Warwick Crop Centre helps translate much of this research to benefit farmers and advisers.

Professor Lorenzo Frigerio,
Chair of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine

My primary research seeks to understand the molecular basis of plant defence and deploy this knowledge to develop more pathogen resistant crops. Secondly, I am interested in the bioactive compounds that beneficial organisms in the soil produce to both enhance crop growth and control pathogens. Warwick provides the multidisciplinary environment for such research with world-leading Mathematics and Chemistry Departments and crucially, the expertise at the Warwick Crop Centre, close to the original farm of Elizabeth Creak, provides the unique ability for translating findings from the lab into the field.

Professor Murray Grant,
Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security