Casson, Stuart, Dr

Qualifications

Honours and distinctions

2008 Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) Young Scientist Award

Research interests

My laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant development and in particular, how environmental signals regulate core developmental pathways.

For this purpose I am using stomatal development as a model. Stomata are microscopic pores on the surface of leaves that regulate gas exchange between the plants and their environment, allowing the uptake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis whilst restricting water loss.

This ability to control their gas exchange has allowed plants to colonise a number of environments and was arguably a crucial evolutionary step in the colonization of the land by higher plants.

My laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant development and in particular, how environmental signals regulate core developmental pathways. For this purpose I am using stomatal development as a model.

Stomata are microscopic pores on the surface of leaves that regulate gas exchange between the plants and their environment, allowing the uptake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis whilst restricting water loss.

This ability to control their gas exchange has allowed plants to colonise a number of environments and was arguably a crucial evolutionary step in the colonization of the land by higher plants.

Stomata can regulate plant gas exchange through short term changes in stomatal aperture. However, my research is focused on a longer term mechanism whereby plants adapt to changes in their environment by regulating their stomatal development, resulting in new leaves with altered stomatal numbers.

Light and CO₂ are particularly important in regulating these changes in stomatal development and we are beginning to identify the key components that regulate stomatal development in response to these signals.

Understanding how these environmental signals interact to regulate stomatal development is vital if we are to accurately model plant water use and performance in a changing environment

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2014) . Current Biology, 24(11), 1216-1221.
Chater CCC, Oliver J, Casson S & Gray JE (2014) . New Phytol, 202(2), 376-391.
Franks PJ & Casson S (2014) . New Phytologist, 201(4), 1079-1082.
Lindsey K, Mehdi S, Casson SA, Mudge AJ, Topping JF & Liu J (2013) , 40-45.
Pantin F, Renaud J, Barbier F, Muller B, Simonneau T, Vavasseur A, Le Thiec D, Rose C, Bariac T, Casson S , McLachlan D et al (2013) . Current Biology.
Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2012) . Sci Signal, 5(233), pe30.
Ruszala EM, Beerling DJ, Franks PJ, Chater C, Casson SA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(12), 1030-1035.
Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2010) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 13(1), 90-95.
Casson SA, Topping JF & Lindsey K (2009) . Plant J, 57(5), 857-869.
Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . CURR BIOL, 19(3), 229-234.
Casson SA, Spencer MWB & Lindsey K (2008) . Methods Mol Biol, 427, 111-120.
Casson S & Gray JE (2008) . NEW PHYTOL, 178(1), 9-23.
Gray JE, Casson S & Hunt L (2008) . Sci Signal, 1(49), pe53.
Spencer MWB, Casson SA & Lindsey K (2007) . Plant Physiol, 143(2), 924-940.
Lindsey K, Casson SA & Chilley PM (2006) , 23-27.
Chilley PM, Casson SA, Tarkowski P, Hawkins N, Wang KL-C, Hussey PJ, Beale M, Ecker JR, Sandberg GK & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Cell, 18(11), 3058-3072.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Physiol, 142(2), 526-541.
Dean G, Casson S & Lindsey K (2004) . PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 54(1), 71-84.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 158(1), 11-38.
Casson SA, Chilley PM, Topping JF, Evans IM, Souter MA & Lindsey K (2002) . Plant Cell, 14(8), 1705-1721.
Lindsey K, Casson S & Chilley P (2002) . Trends Plant Sci, 7(2), 78-83.

All publications

Journal articles

Flannery SE, Pastorelli F, Emrich‐Mills TZ, Casson SA, Hunter CN, Dickman MJ, Jackson PJ & Johnson MP (2023) . The Plant Journal.
Salazar-González JA, Castro-Medina M, Bernardino-Rivera LE, Martínez-Terrazas E, Casson SA & Urrea-López R (2023) . Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 152(3), 635-646.
Clark JW, Harris BJ, Hetherington AJ, Hurtado-Castano N, Brench RA, Casson S, Williams TA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2022) . Current Biology, 32(11), R539-R553.
Freeg HA, Attia KA, Casson S, Fiaz S, Ramadan EA, Banna AE, Zoulias N, Aboshosha A & Alamery S (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(3).
Zoulias N, Rowe J, Thomson EE, Dabrowska M, Sutherland H, Degen GE, Johnson MP, Sedelnikova SE, Hulmes GE, Hettema EH & Casson SA (2021) . Current Biology, 31(24), 5622-5632.e7.
Mawodza T, Menon M, Brooks H, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S (2021) . Soil and Tillage Research, 212.
Movahedi M, Zoulias N, Casson SA, Sun P, Liang Y-K, Hetherington AM, Gray JE & Chater CCC (2021) . Interface Focus, 11(2), 20200036-20200036.
Hepworth C, Wood WHJ, Emrich-Mills TZ, Proctor MS, Casson S & Johnson MP (2021) . Nature Plants.
Mawodza T, Burca G, Casson S & Menon M (2020) . Geoderma, 359.
Zoulias N, Brown J, Rowe J & Casson SA (2020) . PLoS ONE, 15(1).
Zoulias N, Harrison EL, Casson SA & Gray JE (2018) . Biochemical Journal, 475(2), 441-454.
Chater CC, Caine RS, Tomek M, Wallace S, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Lang D, MacAlister CA, Casson S, Bergmann DC , Decker EL et al (2016) . Nature Plants, 2.
Casson SA (2016) . Current Biology, 26(21), R1137-R1139.
Chater C, Peng K, Movahedi M, Dunn JA, Walker HJ, Liang Y-K, McLachlan DH, Casson S, Isner JC, Wilson I , Neill SJ et al (2015) . Current Biology, 25(20), 2709-2716.
Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2014) . Current Biology, 24(11), 1216-1221.
Chater CCC, Oliver J, Casson S & Gray JE (2014) . New Phytol, 202(2), 376-391.
Franks PJ & Casson S (2014) . New Phytologist, 201(4), 1079-1082.
Lindsey K, Mehdi S, Casson SA, Mudge AJ, Topping JF & Liu J (2013) , 40-45.
Pantin F, Renaud J, Barbier F, Muller B, Simonneau T, Vavasseur A, Le Thiec D, Rose C, Bariac T, Casson S , McLachlan D et al (2013) . Current Biology.
Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2012) . Sci Signal, 5(233), pe30.
Ruszala EM, Beerling DJ, Franks PJ, Chater C, Casson SA, Gray JE & Hetherington AM (2011) . Curr Biol, 21(12), 1030-1035.
Barcala M, Garcia A, Cabrera J, Casson S, Lindsey K, Favery B, Garcia-Casado G, Solano R, Fenoll C & Escobar C (2010) . PLANT JOURNAL, 61(4), 698-712.
Casson SA & Hetherington AM (2010) . Curr Opin Plant Biol, 13(1), 90-95.
Casson SA (2010) Molecular characterisation of the POLARIS locus of Arabidopsis..
Portillo M, Lindsey K, Casson S, Garcia-Casado G, Solano R, Fenoll C & Escobar C (2009) . MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, 10(4), 523-535.
Fonseka DLCK, Lindsey K, Topping J & Casson S (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 153A(2), S214-S214.
Casson SA, Topping JF & Lindsey K (2009) . Plant J, 57(5), 857-869.
Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . CURR BIOL, 19(3), 229-234.
Casson SA, Spencer MWB & Lindsey K (2008) . Methods Mol Biol, 427, 111-120.
Casson S & Gray JE (2008) . NEW PHYTOL, 178(1), 9-23.
Gray JE, Casson S & Hunt L (2008) . Sci Signal, 1(49), pe53.
(2007) . Plant Physiology, 143(4), 1982-1982.
Spencer MWB, Casson SA & Lindsey K (2007) . Plant Physiol, 143(2), 924-940.
Lindsey K, Casson SA & Chilley PM (2006) , 23-27.
Chilley PM, Casson SA, Tarkowski P, Hawkins N, Wang KL-C, Hussey PJ, Beale M, Ecker JR, Sandberg GK & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Cell, 18(11), 3058-3072.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2006) . Plant Physiol, 142(2), 526-541.
Lindsey K, Spencer M & Casson S (2006) Transcriptional profiling of the Arabidopsis embryo. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 143(4), S137-S138.
Lindsey K, Casson S & Spencer M (2006) Laser-capture microdissection and DNA microarrays for the analysis of plant development. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 143(4), S119-S119.
Casson S, Spencer M, Walker K & Lindsey K (2005) . Plant J, 42(1), 111-123.
Mur LAJ, Xu R, Casson SA, Stoddart WM, Routledge APM & Draper J (2004) . Molecular Plant Pathology, 5(4), 267-280.
Dean G, Casson S & Lindsey K (2004) . PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 54(1), 71-84.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . New Phytologist, 158(2), 11-38.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . New Phytologist, 158(2), 417.
Casson SA & Lindsey K (2003) . NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 158(1), 11-38.
Casson SA, Chilley PM, Topping JF, Evans IM, Souter MA & Lindsey K (2002) . Plant Cell, 14(8), 1705-1721.
Lindsey K, Casson S & Chilley P (2002) . Trends Plant Sci, 7(2), 78-83.
Degen GE, Jackson PJ, Proctor MS, Zoulias N, Casson SA & Johnson MP () . Plant Physiology.
Mawodza T, Menon M, Muringai N, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S () . Plant and Soil.
Tamayo-Ramos DI, Salazar-González JA, Casson SA & Urrea-López R () . Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC).
Hepworth C, Wood WHJ, Emrich-Mills TZ, Proctor MS, Casson S & Johnson MP () . Nature Plants.
Gu X, Fonseka K, Agneessens J, Casson SA, Smertenko A, Guo G, Topping JF, Hussey PJ & Lindsey K () . New Phytologist.

Chapters

Aalen RB, Abdel-Wahab YHA, Adams ME, Adan RAH, Ahima RS, Ahmed N, Al-Massadi O, Altstein M, Anouar Y, Anselmi L , Ansorge S et al (2013) , Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides (pp. xvii-xlix). Elsevier
Adams ME, Ait-Ali D, Allen SD, Altstein M, Amiche M, Anouar Y, Anselmi L, Ansorge S, Antcheva N, Appel JR , Arimura A et al (2006) , Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides (pp. xix-xxxviii). Elsevier

Conference proceedings papers

Casson SA, Franklin KA, Gray JE, Grierson CS, Whitelam GC & Hetherington AM (2009) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 153A(2) (pp S209-S209)
Lindsey K, Casson S & Topping J (2008) . COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 150(3) (pp S144-S144)
Mawodza T, Menon M, Casson S & Burca G () . Proceedings of EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online. Vienna, Austria, 4 May 2020 - 4 May 2020.

Preprints

Degen GE, Jackson PJ, Proctor MS, Zoulias N, Casson S & Johnson MP (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Salazar-González J, Castro-Medina M, Martínez-Terrazas E, Casson SA & Urrea-Lopez R (2022) , Research Square.
Mawodza T, Menon M, Muringai N, Magdysyuk OV, Burca G & Casson S (2022) , Research Square.
Gu X, Fonseka K, Casson SA, Smertenko A, Guo G, Topping JF, Hussey PJ & Lindsey K () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Zoulias N, Brown J, Rowe J & Casson SA () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Research group

I welcome applications from prospective home / EU / overseas PhD students and post-doctoral fellows.

Postdoctoral researchers

Dr Natalia Hurtado-Castano
Dr Nick Zoulias

PhD students

Magda Dabrowska
Kishwar Shethi
Julian Adams

Technician

Dr Barbora Ndreca

Grants

2019-2023 Leverhulme Trust; Investigating the origin and evolution of stomata (Lead PI, Prof Alistair Hetherington, Bristol; ��«Ӱҵ lead, Dr Stuart Casson)
2019-2022 Leverhulme Trust; Elucidating metabolic control of photosynthetic membrane structure (PI Dr Matt Johnson; Co-I Dr Stuart Casson)
2019-2022 BBSRC; Improving water use and accelerating breeding pipelines in Mexican avocado (PI Dr Stuart Casson)
2016-2019 BBSRC; Photoreceptor optimisation of plant water use (PI Dr Stuart Casson)

Teaching activities

Level 3 Modules

MBB304 Plant Biotechnology
MBB346 Genetic Pathways from Zygote to Organism

Level 2 Modules

MBB262 Genetics 2

Level 1 Modules

MBB162 Genetics 1

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School of Biosciences

School of Biosciences

Dr Stuart Casson

Career History

Honours and distinctions

Featured publications

Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Preprints

Postdoctoral researchers

PhD students

Technician

Level 3 Modules

Level 2 Modules

Level 1 Modules