Matthew Naish

My interest in plant science grew from a general fascination with science and deepened through hands-on lab experiences. It began with my high school work experience, where I spent two weeks in a plant physiology lab at Lancaster University. This sparked my curiosity about plant biology and inspired me to explore the field further. The following year, I received a Nuffield bursary, which allowed me to work on a five-week project studying the ecology of predator–prey interactions across different environments. This project gave me a deeper appreciation for the role plants play in these systems.

As I continued my studies, I became increasingly interested in the remarkable adaptability and diversity of plants. Unlike animals, plants must dynamically adjust to their surroundings, acting as incredible ‘factories’ that must adapt in changing environments. Learning about the biological processes that enable this adaptability truly hooked me, and my passion for plant science has only grown since then!

The simple answer is that I enjoy it; research captivates me in a way nothing else does. I appreciate the freedom this career offers to pursue my own research topics and the variety of people and students I get to work with. During my Master's in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, which included non-science modules on environmental management and law, I realised that the area I was most engaged with was the research project.

My introduction to epigenetics sparked my desire to pursue a PhD. I was captivated by the intricate mechanisms cells use to regulate genes, allowing them to perform specialised roles despite sharing the same genetic code. This interest led me to explore how these mechanisms work, with the aim of developing new tools to support sustainable agriculture and food security in the face of climate change.

At its root, my motivation is curiosity, and this job gives me the opportunity to continually learn. I really enjoy problem solving and using technological developments to investigate questions in new ways. I am also motivated by the people I work with, discussing new bits of data and new ideas with colleagues in the lab is one of the best parts of the job.

I have been fortunate to have had great advisors who have substantially contributed to my growth as a scientist. My academic mentors, Ian Dodd (Lancaster University, UK), Jose Gutierrez-Marcos (University of Warwick, UK), and Ian Henderson (University of Cambridge, UK), stand out as significant role models. Beyond the concrete skills and knowledge they offered, they have shaped my approach to science, such as how to frame a compelling research question, identify big questions in the field, and develop effective strategies for writing grant proposals and research papers. Their support and encouragement have had a profound impact on my growth as a researcher, and I deeply admire their continued enthusiasm for their work. I am very grateful for their guidance.

A couple of New Phytologist papers immediately spring to mind that I have enjoyed in recent years. One standout is Majka et al. (2023), which explored how allele-specific expression of kinetochore proteins may lead to biased chromosome transmission in hybrids. It is an exciting insight with implications for competing centromere/kinetochore structures, which are some of the most rapidly evolving regions within the genome. Another study is by He et al. (2024) on the role of R-loops (DNA–RNA hybrid structures) in helping plants cope with cold stress. I think R-loops are a particularly interesting area in genomics, and this paper showed that these DNA–RNA structures have a major role to turn on genes that protect them when temperatures drop.

On a broader note, I am also a big fan of the New Phytologist Tansley review and Research review series. They are valuable as engaging, well-written gateways into new research areas. A particular favourite of mine is by de la Paz Sanchez et al. (2015), which was an excellent starting point for my PhD. These pieces do a fantastic job of breaking down complex topics in plant science, making it much easier to grasp new ideas and advances in the field.

This was a surprisingly difficult question to answer. I have a special attachment to Arabidopsis thaliana which I believe is a great model system that has allowed us to uncover some of the most exciting aspects of plant biology. However, since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by carnivorous plants and the weird and wonderful adaptations they have to capture insects (Fig. 1). Although I was disappointed to learn in Böhm et al. (2016), that my childhood efforts to ‘feed’ my Venus fly trap with dead flies was fruitless.