Andrew Thompson

Professor Andrew Thompson is a Professor of Molecular Plant Science at Cranfield University, where he leads the Crop Water Use Group in the Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences. His research focuses on molecular genetics of plant water relations, rootstock-mediated stress resistance in crops like tomato and pepper, and drought tolerance mechanisms using wild tomato relatives.

• Education: PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from Durham University (1990)
• Key Projects: EU-funded Rootopower, BBSRC/Syngenta RootLINK, and India-UK collaborations on tomato genomics

His work integrates next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and molecular breeding to enhance water-limited crop production. He supervises PhD students on fruit abscission and root trait genetics. Professor Thompson has published extensively on ABA signaling, rootstock breeding, and stress physiology in journals like Molecular Horticulture and Plant, Cell & Environment. A significant portion of his research examines genetic determinants of root architecture and their impact on hydraulic conductance. He also contributes to sustainable water management strategies in Mediterranean regions through modeling and field applications.