Katie Field

Professor Katie Field is a leading researcher at the University of Sheffield, where she holds the Chair in Plant-Soil Processes. Her work bridges evolutionary biology, soil ecology, and climate science to unravel ancient and modern plant-fungal symbioses.

• Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellow (2025–present)
• Former Professor of Plant-Soil Interactions at University of Leeds (2019–2020)
• BBSRC Translational Fellow (2016–2021)

Her research focuses on mycorrhizal mutualisms, particularly the 500-million-year-old partnerships between plants and soil fungi. Key themes include:

• Evolution of nutrient-for-carbon exchange mechanisms
• Fungal network-mediated resource sharing under climate stress
• Applications to sustainable agriculture and carbon sequestration

Recent publications highlight her lab's innovations in isotope tracing and metabolomics to map symbiotic dynamics. Her team has demonstrated:

• Variable carbon-nutrient trade in wheat cultivars
• Competition between mycorrhizal fungi and pests
• Mucoromycotina's role in nitrogen acquisition

Awardees include:

• Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship
• BBSRC Translational Fellowship
• Packington Fellowship

As Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Plants, People, Planet and Senior Editor of Functional Ecology, she shapes global discourse on sustainable land management.