Katy is a Research Assistant for the Plant Health team, providing technical support and allocating space and equipment for projects and experiments
My main area is the molecular side of Plant Health. I extract the DNA from frozen plant pathogens and diseased material sent in to the Plant Health team and amplify it using PCR, before analysing it to determine the species of pathogen – it’s always exciting to see what results come back! I also culture plant pathogens such as rose black spot on petri dishes, so that we can use them in experiments or store them as part of a culture collection.
“Working in plant sciences is very rewarding, because you often get to see the physical results of your work. Usually it's bad news when you see plants develop symptoms of a disease, but for me, it means I’ve done a good job!”
The work we do gives scientific support to the advice gardeners receive on how to manage pests and diseases. As we discover more about them, it can reframe how we view these organisms in the first place!
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
