Julie Hofer

My research focus has been on compound leaf development in legumes. Teamwork in the Ellis lab at the John Innes Centre led to the identification of key genes in pea, such as Unifoliata, a regulator of leaf complexity and Tendril-less, which is required for tendril formation. At Aberystwyth University we used new sequencing technologies and comparative genetics to identify additional loci corresponding to morphological traits. Since returning to the John Innes Centre to join Claire Domoney's lab in 2019, I have been using genetics and genomics approaches for trait identification in pea. The lab is interested in the extent of their conservation among crop legume species and the potential benefits of particular traits in sustainable agricultural systems.