Jo Hepworth

Dr. Jo Hepworth is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. She leads the Cool Cabbage Lab, focusing on plant developmental genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to environmental cues. Her work explores how plants integrate temperature and seasonal signals to regulate morphology, particularly in Brassica crops and Arabidopsis. Key research areas include flowering time regulation, vernalization pathways, and climate change impacts on agriculture.

Research interests center on the genetic and epigenetic basis of plant adaptation to temperature fluctuations. She employs multidisciplinary approaches, including transcriptomics, mathematical modeling, and field experiments. Current projects investigate gene x environment interactions in Brassica napus inflorescence development and the role of FLC and COOLAIR in vernalization.

Publications highlight contributions to understanding strigolactone biosynthesis, floral transition dynamics, and the molecular basis of flowering diversity. Supervised students include Oliver Gotobed (PhD candidate). Funded PhD opportunities are advertised on FindAPhD.com, focusing on topics like water use in Brassica crops under climate change.

Laboratory activities emphasize translational research bridging fundamental plant biology with agricultural applications, particularly in crop resilience and food security.