Dr. Isobel Magrath

Biography

I am a PhD student in the Department of Plant Sciences. My undergraduate degree focused on molecular biology and microbiology, and I have a keen passion for synthetic biology, which was ignited by my participation in the 2019 iGEM competition. I undertook an honours project centered on engineering photosynthesis in crop plants and was drawn to plant sciences. My research primarily focuses on understanding how plants regulate carbon supply in association with fungi, particularly in the context of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. I aim to elucidate the carbon flux that is regulated throughout whole plants, including leaves and roots, and to investigate the specific roles that various cell types and tissues play in carbon metabolism. To study these processes, I utilize a range of approaches including single-cell sequencing.

Research Interests