Kelly is a geneticist who has worked in barley genetics research since completing her PhD. Much of her research has been on two main aspects of grain composition, the plant cell wall (including (1,3;1,4)-β- glucan, arabinoxylan and phenolic acids), and micronutrient content. She identifies and characterizes genes responsible for these traits using a powerful combination of high-density marker sets to carry out statistical genetic analysis and genetic resources (including natural germplasm, mutants and CRISPR-Cas9 gene edited lines) to learn more about how these genes ultimately influence the trait of interest. Kelly has utilizing georeferenced datasets to understand more about genetic adaptation to a range of environmental conditions and how this can be applied to facilitate the development of germplasm suitable for future predicted climates.
Research
EU Horizon Europe. BEST-CROP:Boosting photosynthESis To deliver novel CROPs for the circular bioeconomy. 2023- 2028 (Hutton PI)
BBSRC Response mode. Developing nutrient-enriched cereal grains with large embryos. 2019-2023 (Co-I).
ARC Discovery Project. Determining how the soluble dietary fibre (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan is made in cereals. 2021-2024 (PI)
RESAS. BARGAIN: Exploring Barley Diversity For Resilience And Sustainability. 2022-2026 (PI)
Publications
The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.
Journals
- Druka, A.; Franckowiak, J.D.; Lundqvist, U.; Bonar, N.; Alexander, J.; Houston, K.; Radovic, S.; Shahinnia, F.; Vendramin, V.; Morgante, M.; Stein, N.; Waugh, R. (2011) Genetic dissection of barley morphology and development., Plant Physiology, 155, 617-627.
- Druka, A.; Franckowiak, J.D.; Lundqvist, U.; Bonar, N.; Alexander, J.; Guzy-Wrobelska, J.; Ramsay, L.; Druka, I.; Grant, I.; Macaulay, M.; Vendramin, V.; Shahinnia, F.; Radovic, S.; Houston, K.; Harrap, D.; Cardle, L.; Marshall, D.F.; Morgante, M.; Stein, N.; Waugh, R. (2010) Exploiting induced variation to dissect quantitative traits in barley., Biochemical Society Transactions, 38, 683-688.
Prior to appointment
- Manning,P.; Houston, K.; Evans, T. (2009) Shifts in seed size across experimental nitrogen enrichment and plant density gradients., Basic and Applied Ecology, 10, 300-309.
- Houston, K.; Wolff, K. (2009) Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers for Rhinanthus minor., Molecular Ecology Resources, 9, 174-176.
- Wolff, K.; Houston, K.; Dunbar-Co, S. (2009) Cross-species amplification of primers developed from Plantago major and P. intermedia in two Hawaiian Plantago species from the section Plantago., Molecular Ecology Resources, 9, 981-984.
Conference papers
- Houston, K.; Wolff, K. (2008) Genetic implications for habitat restoration., Genetic implications for habitat restoration. Ecological Genetics Group
Conference posters / abstracts
- Druka, A.; Bonar, N.; Houston, K.; Waugh, R. (2010) Genetic dissection of barley morphology and development., Scottish Plant Biology Meeting, University of Dundee, 22 April 2010 (Poster).
- Druka, A.; Bonar, N.; Houston, K.; Waugh, R. (2010) Genetic dissection of barley morphology and development., Monogram Network Workshop, Norwich, 2-4 March 2010 (Poster).
- Houston, K.; Druka, A.; Bonar, N.; Franckowiak, J.D.; Lundqvist, U.; Alexander, J.; Morgante, M.; Stein, N.; Harrap, D.; Waugh, R. (2010) Fine mapping and identification of the candidate genes for barley third outer glume (trd) locus., Plant & Animal Genome XVIII, San Diego, California, USA, 9-13 January 2010 (Poster).
- Houston, K.; Wolff, K. (2008) Ecotype variation in the genus Plantago – combining protein and genetic markers., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Imperial College, London, September 2008 (Poster).
- Houston, K.; Wolff, K. (2007) When is a subspecies not a subspecies?, London Evolutionary Research Network, Natural History Museum, September 2007 (Poster).
