Cara is interested in whole plant carbon allocation and carbon usage, with an emphasis on how this is regulated by SnRK1 and sugar phosphates, in particular trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P). In addition, she also looks at how sugars are accumulated and used in both drought and desiccation tolerance processes. Cara has a research background in the molecular mechanisms of desiccation tolerance, where she previously looked at hormone glycosylation and senescence avoidance in the resurrection grass, Sporobolus stapfianus. In addition, she continues to be involved in sugar and starch biochemistry in wheat where she looks at how a T6P precursor can be used to induce changes in this biochemistry, improving resilience and increasing yield. Currently, Cara mainly works on exploring genetic and sugar biochemistry variation in drought tolerant wheat populations, in addition to using resurrection plant genes to improve crop yields and drought tolerance.

• Improving crop yields and resilience
• Molecular mechanisms of carbon allocation
• Molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance

 

 

 

Email :  cara.griffiths@rothamsted.ac.uk