Tel: 01248 388655 (from U.K.)  +44 1248 388655 (International)

My research uses genetics and genomics tools to address global food secuirty issues. I work in partnership with growers, breeders and industry and use genetic diversity to inform trait improvement in economically important species. A current project Transformative Reduced Input Potatoes - TRIP - includes Dyson Farming Ltd., The James Hutton Institute, Emerald Research, Light Science Technologies, The Sarvari Research Trust. 

Katherine Steele is a Reader in Sustainable Crop Production in the School of Environment and Natural Sciences. She gained a PhD in Molecular Plant Pathology at the University of Nottingham in 1998. Previously, she was a Research Officer in Bangor Universiy's Centre for Arid Zone Studies (1998-2006). She has applied marker-assised breeding to develop new varieties of rice and tomatoes now grown India and Europe.

Responsibilities within Bangor University

Director of Impact, School of Environmental and Natural Sciences (SENS)

Member of SENS Management Committee, SENS REsearch Committee, CoSE Impact Committee, Henfaes Research Centre Committee

Member of SENS Research Groups:

Agriculture, Food and the Environment

Evolution, Development and Molecular Biology

Microbiology and Biotechnology

Teaching

Module organiser for:

DXX3701 (Dissertation)

DXX2021 (Plant Diversity and Conservation)

Contribute to modules including DXX1001, DXX2000, BNS2002,

Current Postgraduate Research supervised

• Mahnoor Akbar - Commonwealth Scholar   Potential use of iron oxide nanoparticles to combat potato pathogens.
• Elsie Olatunji - Analysis of tomato early blight caused by  Alternaria species.
• Tim Beard - KESS 2 (With Sarvari Research Trust) Tomato early blight - identification of genetic sources of resistance to Alternaria solani
• I also supervise projects for taught masters students

Recent PhD research projects supervised 

• Kamran Yaqoob - Commonwealth Scholar  Identification of Genetic Variations of Wx Alleles for Diversified Starch Composition and Glycemic Index of Pakistani Rice Cultivars
• Beverly Agesa - AHDB Screening and performance of phosphorus efficient cereal cultivars for future food security 
• Anastasia Atucha Zamkova –KESS (With Maelor Forest Nursery) Identifying molecular markers for frost tolerance in Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)

• Simon White - KESS (With Sarvari Research Trust) Breeding strategies to improve blight resistance in Sarpo potatoes

WILLING TO SUPERVISE PROJECTS IN THE FOLLOWING GENERAL AREAS:
Crop genetics – with emphasis on rice, barley, tomato, potato and the genetic and environmental effects on their abiotic and biotic stress resistance. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, functional foods; sustainable food, fuel and fibre production and plant pathology. Projects involving molecular markers, genomics, field or glasshouse experiments and participatory methods/citizen science will be considered. Enquiries welcome.

Previously, I worked in Bangor Universiy's former Centre for Arid Zone Studies (CAZS) as a Research Officer and was PI on three rice research projects funded by the DFID Plant Sciences Research Programme (1998-2006).

I am a member of the UK Rice Research Consortium (UKRRC)