Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolution, Principal Investigator: Evolutionary Genomics and Transcriptomics,Co-ordinator of Centre for Underutilised Crops
Dr Mark Chapman is an Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and his research focuses on ‘working out what genes do’. He works with a range of plants (and some animals) and carries out detailed genetic and genomic investigations comparing populations or species. His research identifies the genes that are important for adaptation, speciation and domestication; therefore it is important for the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics and mitigating climate change.
Career History
2019-present: Associate Professor. University of Southampton, UK. 2013-present: Lecturer. University of Southampton, UK. 2011-2013: Postdoctoral Researcher. University of Oxford, UK. 2004-2010: Postdoctoral Researcher/Assistant Research Scientist. University of Georgia, USA/Vanderbilt University, USA.
Academic Qualifications
2004: PhD. St. Andrews University, UK. 2000: BSc. University of Leicester, UK.
Research
Publications
Teaching
Contributions
Enterprise
Contact
Research interests
I am interested in using genomic technologies to investigate patterns and processes in evolution, primarily concerning adaptation, speciation and domestication in plants.
PhD/MPhil Supervision
Current
James Bedford (2020-2024) Project title: Genomics of Adaption to Climate Change in Rice Funding: INSPIRE
Amy Jackson (2018-2021) Project title: Identification and analysis of speciation genes in island plants
Graduated
Rachael Graham (2015-2018) Project Title: Plant adaptation to temperature, and implications for crop breeding Funding: University of Southampton/Natural History Museum
Anna Page (2014-2017) Project Title: Parallel domestication as a model to understand the repeatability of phenotypic evolutions Funding: University of Southampton
Oliver White (2015-2018) Project Title: Using transcriptomics to understand adaptation and speciation in an island radiation Funding:University of Southampton/Natural History Museum
Alex Watson-Lazowski (2nd supervisor) Project Title: Using Next Generation Sequencing to Understand Plant Acclimation and Adaption to a Changing Environment Funding: ExpeER, NERC.
Annabelle Damerum (2nd supervisor) Project Title: Molecular breeding to improve the quality of Lactuca sativa. Funding: Vitacress Salads, Shamrock Seeds, Sainsbury's.
Libby Rowland (2nd supervisor) Project Title: Improving the water sustainability and quality of potted herbs through better crop irrigation scheduling Funding: University of Southampton, Vitacress Salads
Jasmine Saban (2nd supervisor) Project Title: Acclimation and Adaption to elevated CO2 Funding: SPITFIRE
Steven Bourne (2nd supervisor) Project Title: The genomics of adaption and its influence on marine biological invasions Funding: SPITFIRE
Elizabeth Arnold (2nd supervisor) Project Title: Improving the sustainability of water use in baby leaf salad crops Funding: University of Southampton/BBSRC
Using transcriptomics to understand adaptation and speciation in an island radiation
This studentship will use a homoploid hybrid Argyranthemum species from the Canary Islands as an exemplary scenario with which to investigate the genomics of adaptation, reproductive isolation and hybrid speciation.
Are the same genes involved when evolutionary processes occur more than once?
A genome-wide approach to understand domestication
Harnessing genomic technologies to investigate how humans have altered the genomes of wild plants into the crops we see today.
Population genomics of plant adaptation to elevated CO2
Using plants from a natural CO2 as a model to study the long term responses of plants to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations predicted for the end of the 21st Century.
The project aims to develop methods for assessing the status of cryptic tropical montane anurans and the drivers of their decline, leading to a framework for monitoring these indicator species.
Vitacress Research Unit: Improving the quality and healthy-giving benefits of baby salad leaves
Supporting the sustainable production of high quality baby leaf salad and herb species. We are one of Europe's leading suppliers of fresh produce, specialising in watercress, salads and fresh herbs.
Watson-Lazowski, A. J., Lin, Y., Edwards, R., DeWoody, J., Miglietta, F., Chapman, M., & Taylor, G. (2014). Plant acclimation and adaptation to a high CO2 world. Paper presented at Plant & Animal Genome XXII, United States.
Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation has the potential for application to agronomy and crop breeding. If we can understand which genes confer adaptations to high salinity, high temperatures or low nutrients we have the potential to investigate which crops might be of use under a climate change scenario. My work with underutilised crops is helping to reveal how some of the world’s less well-known crops manage to grow in extreme environments, also paving the way for the identification of novel germplasm with extreme environmental tolerances.
Dr Mark A Chapman School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences Life Sciences Building 85 University of Southampton Highfield Campus Southampton SO17 1BJ
