Institute for Agri-Food Research and Innovation

Staff Profile

Professor Neil Boonham

Chair of Applied Crop Science

Background

Neil has a background in plant virology and molecular biology and in recent years has focused on the application of post-genomic technologies to provide applied solutions to detection problems in agricultural and environmental analysis. 
In the agricultural and biosecurity work the research is focused on development of targeted techniques for in-field and automated detection of pathogens. This encompasses development of diagnostic techniques to enable rapid decision making in the agri-food supply chain to the automated measurement of airborne inoculum; the goal is to provide end users with data enabling them to make more timely and effective management decisions. In addition the use of next generation sequencing for detection and characterisation of the causal agents of disease and virus discovery through to investigating the impact microbial communities have in modulating disease symptoms and severity.

Neil maintains a keen interest in Virology in particular the interaction between viruses and plant hosts, the evolution of virus species and the characterisation of persistent viruses in plants. Neil has authored more than 100 peer reviewed publications and is an editor for the Journal of Virological Methods and a special associate Professor at the University of Nottingham. Neil regularly provides keynote and plenary lectures at international conferences and lectures at undergraduate and masters degree courses at the Universities of Nottingham, Leeds and Harper Adams.

Area of Expertise

Plant pathology and diagnostics. 

For a full list of my publications please see my Google Scholar Profile and Orcid profile

Publications