Research Fellow

Email: Erin.stroud@warwick.ac.uk

LinkedIn

ORCID

Research Groups

Plant Disease Resistance

Research Clusters

Plant & Agricultural Biosciences

Warwick Centres and GRPs

The Elizabeth Creak Horticultural Technology Centre (ECHTC)

Other Roles

Fellow, Warwick Institute of Engagement

Digital Officer, LAMS

Current Research

Plants are constantly challenged by multiple biotic and abiotic stressors in their environment. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved ways to detect, recognise, and respond to stress. Different types of stressors require different types of responses, and therefore the plant must be capable of deciding which defence signalling cascade is the most appropriate to counter the perceived challenge.

My research is funded by the BBSRC projectLink opens in a new window: Anatomy and functions of lipid transfer protein interactomes and their relationship to small RNA signals in systemic acquired resistance. This research focuses on understanding the complex relationship between hormones, proteins, small RNA signals, and defence genes during the induction of long-distance signalling in plant-stressor interactions.

Broader interests and activities

My broader research interests focus on understanding how plants cope with stress. My PhD project centred on how Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) use phytohormone signalling cascades to respond to multi-stressor events. More recently, my work at Warwick focuses on understanding how similar signalling networks are deployed during the very early stages of a defence response. I currently work with the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, making the slightly less common switch from a horticulturally significant crop species to a model species.

Outside of the laboratory, I am very engaged with science communication and advocacy for early career researchers. I have previously served on the Royal Society Te Apārangi Early Career Researcher Forum CommitteeLink opens in a new window and co-hosted the science communication podcast, Sci-gestLink opens in a new window. Currently, I serve as a Fellow in the Warwick Institute of EngagementLink opens in a new window and a Digitial Officer in the Life And Medical Sciences PostDoc SocietyLink opens in a new window.

Between my PhD and Research Fellow positions, I briefly worked in a science start-up. This has sparked an ongoing interest in navigating the space between academia and industry.