Newcastle University

Qualifications

PhD, ecological genetics, University of Manchester, 2007.

BSc (Hons), biological sciences (with industrial experience), Salford University, 2003.

Previous Positions

Teaching assistant, Northumbria University (2008). Led a third year module in foresic botany, and taught on a MSc module in writing grant applications

Postdoctoral research associate, University of Manchester (2007). Ecological genetics of epiphytic bromeliad - tree associations in the tropical rainforests of Belize and Ecuador.

Esteem Indicators

Member of the editorial board for Agronomy - a multidisciplinary and open access journal.

Reviewer for subject related journals.  

Memberships

British Ecological Society (BES)

Honours and Awards

Small Ecological Project Grant (SEPG), British Ecological Society, 2006.

Languages

English, french.

Research Interests

• Ecological genetics of plant based systems and its implication for plant breeding for organic and low input agriculture. This involves several areas of interest:

o The effect of agronomic practices (e.g. fertilisation regime) on plant performance across contrasting crop varieties.

o The influence of plant genotype x environment interactions on plant performance. I currently use a wheat – aphid model ecosystem to identify plant genetic variability involved in phenotypic plasticity. I am interested in the molecular basis of phenotypic plasticity, and the potential for breeding robust crop varieties.

• This research utilises molecular techniques (proteomic profiling, QTL mapping) to identify genes involved in plant performance over contrasting environments

Current Work

Leading the proteomic profiling work in the plant breeding team at NEFG (Nafferton Ecological Farming Group).

Postgraduate Supervision

Mr Leonidas Rempelos (PhD thesis: Effects of agronomic practices on yield, quality and protein expression patterns in multiple potato varieties).

Mr Mohammed Almuarifi (PhD thesis: Nutrient Use Efficiency in contrasting wheat varieties). Part supervision with Prof. C. Leifert and Dr J. Coopper

• Tetard-Jones C, Kertesz MA, Preziosi RF. Quantitative Trait Loci mapping of phenotypic plasticity and genotype – environment interactions in plant and insect performance. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2011, 366(1569), 1368-1379.
• Tetard-Jones C, Leifert C. Plasticity of yield components of winter wheat in response to cereal aphids. NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 2011, 58(3-4), 139-143.
• Cooper J, Sanderson R, Cakmak I, Ozturk L, Shotton P, Carmichael A, Haghighi RS, Tetard-Jones C, Volakakis N, Eyre M, Leifert C. Effect of Organic and Conventional Crop Rotation, Fertilization, and Crop Protection Practices on Metal Contents in Wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2011, 59(9), 4715-4724.
• Zytynska SE, Fleming S, Tetard-Jones C, Kertesz MA, Preziosi RF. Community genetic interactions mediate indirect ecological effects between a parasitoid wasp and rhizobacteria. Ecology 2010, 91, 1563-1568.
• Tetard-Jones C, Kertesz MA, Gallois P, Preziosi RF. Genotype-by-Genotype Interactions Modified by a Third Species in a Plant-Insect System. American Naturalist 2007, 170(3), 492-499.