Kim Hammond-Kosack

Professor Plant Biology & Crop Sciences

Rothamsted Research

United Kingdom

Professional Summary

KHK is a molecular geneticist with a lifelong interest in plants, fungi and agricultural crop species. Her ‘can do’ attitude and a fear of very little ensures that scientific boundaries are frequently pushed and new insights gained. Kim’s scientific endeavours - whether as an individual, as part of a research team or as a research leader have lead to several key scientific discoveries which have gone on to be translated into practical uses globally.Her best known discovery occurred in the mid-1990s, when as part of a large UK based research team, their combined efforts resulted in the identification of the 1st plant gene sequence responsible for controlling the local activation plant defences against fungal pathogens. Plant breeders now routinely use this sequence information when selecting for new disease resistant varieties, via marker assisted selection. In recent years, in the era of fully sequenced plant and pathogen genomes and predictive biology, Kim co-founded the pathogen – host interactions database called PHI-base. This open access database contains the peer reviewed discoveries arising from molecular genetic analysis of over 100 interactions. The gold-standard information in PHI-base allows new predictive and systems biology approaches to be developed. These include understanding the generic themes underlying how pathogens actually cause disease and how hosts detect different pathogen types. These new insights are in turn beginning to lead to the discovery of new intervention targets and the development of novel strategies which can be used to control the most problematic pathogens in agricultural crops, in farmed animals and in human healthcare. KHK is currently leading the wheat pathogenomics team at Rothamsted Research, which is situated in Hertfordshire, England. Rothamsted Research is the longest running agricultural research station in the world, providing cutting-edge science and innovation for around 170 years. KHK’s research team is focussed on the control of several diseases of wheat, because wheat is the No1 crop in the UK. Globally, the wheat crop provides each year 1/5 of the calories required to feed the world’s growing human population. The stresses to the wheat crop caused by pathogenic fungi or post harvest when the grain become diseased results in an annual loss of between 5 and 25% of total UK and global production. Her research team is currently finding new ways to improve the control three particularly problematic fungal pathogens, which cause Fusarium Ear Blight disease (also known as Head Scab), Septoria tritici blotch disease and Take-all disease. By understanding how fungal pathogens cause disease we will identify their ‘Achilles Heel’ (most vulnerable points) and this information can be exploited to develop novel effective and sustainable control strategies. KHK has ongoing collaborations with scientists in the UK, Europe, USA, Brazil, India, China and Australia. She has authored over 80 peer reviewed publications including articles in Nature, Science, Cell, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), The Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, PLoS Genetics, Nucleic Acids Research and 27 other international journals. She has also contributes chapters to several well selling / best selling scientific books and has five published patents. KHK has always had a keen interest in training and mentoring the next generation of scientists and in ensuring that mid-career scientists reach their true potential. Also, she always finds the time, however busy, to communicate the latest scientific discoveries to non-scientists and ‘want-to-be’ scientists of all ages. To conclude, at the present time many factors are reducing the quality and safety of the food available to feed the growing global population. By combining novel scientific discoveries, with new tools and technologies, many exciting possibilities are emerging that could today and in the future provide sufficient nutritious food for all. Communication and collaboration between scientist and non-scientists from all walks of life and encompassing all generations, is the key to making this vision a reality. Scientific websites: Pathogen-Host Interactions Database (PHI-base)This database contains expertly curated molecular and biological information on genes proven to affect the outcome of pathogen-host interactions. Information is also given on the target sites of some anti-infective chemistries. Available at www.PHI-base.org or www.PHIbase.orgOmniMapFree Describes a computer program for displaying and analysing the genome of any organism. The software can be freely downloaded from this site.Available at www.omnimapfree.org The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN)Improving the environmental footprint of farming through crop genetics and targeted traits analysis. Available at www.WGIN.org.ukE. mail: kim.hammond-kosack@rothamsted.ac.uk

Skills

Specialization

Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Genetics, Research; Program Leader: Wheat Pathogenomics