Caroline Upton
I graduated in 2012 with a BSc (Honours) in Forensic Anthropology, from the College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee.
During my degree I completed a 12 month placement at the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy, University of Dundee and three month placements with Ian Toth, Nicola Holden, Ali Karley and Tracy Valentine at the James Hutton Institute.
During my degree I became particularly interested in biological imaging techniques, and applying them to root-soil interactions. This led to me starting a PhD in 2012 with Tracy Valentine and Lionel Dupuy.
Current research interests
PhD Studentship
My PhD project is concerned with using a combination of imaging techniques to better elucidate the physical interactions between root systems and soil. I am using X-ray µCT to look at root architecture and how it is influenced by changes in physical soil properties. I am also using recently developed transparent soil with optical imaging techniques to look at the cellular responses of roots that are observed under different physical soil conditions.
Supervisors: Tracy Valentine and Lionel Dupuy (James Hutton Institute) and Wilfred Otten and Sonja Schmidt (University of Abertay Dundee).
Past research
Three month placement working with Ian Toth and Nicola Holden, in the plant pathogen department at the James Hutton Institute.
Four month placement working with Ali Karley and Tracy Valentine, in the Ecological Sciences group at the James Hutton Institute.
Honours research project supervised by Sue Black, in the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee.