Laura Kelly
@laura-j-kelly.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist. Research Leader at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
2 weeks until the TREES DLA deadline! If you’re interested in a fully funded PhD, take a look at the project I’m offering at @rbgkew.bsky.social on evolutionary processes in natural tree populations 🌳🧬 with Richard Nichols at @qmul.bsky.social, @danielwood1992.bsky.social and @rbuggs.bsky.social 👇
December 3, 2025 at 8:22 AM
2 weeks until the TREES DLA deadline! If you’re interested in a fully funded PhD, take a look at the project I’m offering at @rbgkew.bsky.social on evolutionary processes in natural tree populations 🌳🧬 with Richard Nichols at @qmul.bsky.social, @danielwood1992.bsky.social and @rbuggs.bsky.social 👇
Reposted by Laura Kelly
Great to be involved in this session at #BritainsForestFuture - a really good panel discussion with the CFP speakers and Jo Clark from @futuretreestrust.bsky.social on the future of ash and genomic approaches to resilient trees more broadly.
1️⃣ Dr Daniel Wood (@danielwood1992.bsky.social), @forest-protection.bsky.social Project Lead, and Future Leader Fellow at @rbgkew.bsky.social gave a talk on his research on genomic approaches to #AshDieback.
🔗 See more www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
🔗 See more www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
#britainsforestfuture #britainsforestfuture #britainsforestfuture #knowledgeexchange #treehealth | Centre for Forest Protection
#BritainsForestFuture may be over, but the insights keep on coming 🎉
In Tuesday’s session on ‘Genetic approaches to delivering more resilient trees, woods and forests’, chaired by ex-Centre for Fore...
www.linkedin.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Great to be involved in this session at #BritainsForestFuture - a really good panel discussion with the CFP speakers and Jo Clark from @futuretreestrust.bsky.social on the future of ash and genomic approaches to resilient trees more broadly.
Grateful to have had the chance to speak at #BritainsForestFuture - it was a brilliant event where I learnt so much, especially from our forestry practitioner colleagues! 🌳🌱🍁
In yesterdays session on ‘Preparing for new threats’, #BritainsForestFuture attendees heard how prediction tools, spatial modelling and epigenetics are being used to assess new and upcoming risks to tree species in the UK 💻🧬🔬
Two @forest-protection.bsky.social projects were presented ⬇️
Two @forest-protection.bsky.social projects were presented ⬇️
November 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Grateful to have had the chance to speak at #BritainsForestFuture - it was a brilliant event where I learnt so much, especially from our forestry practitioner colleagues! 🌳🌱🍁
Still time to apply for a fully-funded PhD opportunity through the TREES DLA ⬇️ Get in touch if you want to hear more about the project I’m offering on tree evolution 🌳🧬
🚨 1 month to go! Applications for TREES close 17th Dec. If you're interested in topics like climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem resilience, this is your chance to get involved in a major national initiative.
🌳 Apply now and help shape the future of UK environmental science.
🌳 Apply now and help shape the future of UK environmental science.
November 19, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Still time to apply for a fully-funded PhD opportunity through the TREES DLA ⬇️ Get in touch if you want to hear more about the project I’m offering on tree evolution 🌳🧬
Reposted by Laura Kelly
🌳The upgraded #EUFGIS platform is now live! 💻
It offers enhanced tools, updated datasets and improved usability for monitoring forest genetic resources across Europe. The system provides harmonised data on more than 3,500 conservation units.
More info here: www.euforgen.org/about-us/new...
It offers enhanced tools, updated datasets and improved usability for monitoring forest genetic resources across Europe. The system provides harmonised data on more than 3,500 conservation units.
More info here: www.euforgen.org/about-us/new...
November 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
🌳The upgraded #EUFGIS platform is now live! 💻
It offers enhanced tools, updated datasets and improved usability for monitoring forest genetic resources across Europe. The system provides harmonised data on more than 3,500 conservation units.
More info here: www.euforgen.org/about-us/new...
It offers enhanced tools, updated datasets and improved usability for monitoring forest genetic resources across Europe. The system provides harmonised data on more than 3,500 conservation units.
More info here: www.euforgen.org/about-us/new...
Excited to be speaking at the Britain’s Forest Future meeting next week! 🌳🌲 I’ll be presenting results of @forest-protection.bsky.social funded research on future pest and disease risks to non-native trees 🪲🦠🍄🟫
Next week, we will be hosting “Britain’s Forest Future: Research-Practice Exchange” alongside #Defra and @uktreescapes.bsky.social 🌳
Keep an eye on our social media channels to find out more 👀
#BritainsForestFuture #KnowledgeExchange #TreeHealth @forestresearchuk.bsky.social @rbgkew.bsky.social
Keep an eye on our social media channels to find out more 👀
#BritainsForestFuture #KnowledgeExchange #TreeHealth @forestresearchuk.bsky.social @rbgkew.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Excited to be speaking at the Britain’s Forest Future meeting next week! 🌳🌲 I’ll be presenting results of @forest-protection.bsky.social funded research on future pest and disease risks to non-native trees 🪲🦠🍄🟫
Fancy doing PhD research at @rbgkew.bsky.social and @qmul.bsky.social on evolutionary biology and trees? 🧬 🌳 Take a look at the project I’m offering through the TREES DLA 😀: www.kew.org/science/trai...
Available PhD opportunities
Discover the funded studentships we currently have available and find out more about our involvement with a range of Doctoral Training Partnerships and similar schemes.
www.kew.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Fancy doing PhD research at @rbgkew.bsky.social and @qmul.bsky.social on evolutionary biology and trees? 🧬 🌳 Take a look at the project I’m offering through the TREES DLA 😀: www.kew.org/science/trai...
Interested in doing a PhD? The TREES doctoral training program is now open for applications!
🌱 PhD Applications Open – TREES Doctoral Training Programme
TREES (Doctoral Landscape Alliance) is now accepting applications for fully funded PhD studentships in UKRI-NERC science remit.
🔗 trees-dla.ac.uk
#PhDOpportunity #AcademicTwitter #Ecology #ClimateResearch #PhDApplications
TREES (Doctoral Landscape Alliance) is now accepting applications for fully funded PhD studentships in UKRI-NERC science remit.
🔗 trees-dla.ac.uk
#PhDOpportunity #AcademicTwitter #Ecology #ClimateResearch #PhDApplications
Home | TREES DLA
TREES is a dynamic new programme for doctoral training designed to equip the next generation of environmental scientists to tackle today's critical global challenges. Sign up to the TREES mailing…
trees-dla.ac.uk
October 29, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Interested in doing a PhD? The TREES doctoral training program is now open for applications!
I chose a good day to check for seed in our Fraxinus collection at @rbgkew.bsky.social 🌞🌳🍁 Looks like a bumper crop for most species - these are valuable material for @forest-protection.bsky.social funded research to tackle threats to ash trees 🌿 #Fraxinus #ashtrees #treehealth
September 30, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I chose a good day to check for seed in our Fraxinus collection at @rbgkew.bsky.social 🌞🌳🍁 Looks like a bumper crop for most species - these are valuable material for @forest-protection.bsky.social funded research to tackle threats to ash trees 🌿 #Fraxinus #ashtrees #treehealth
Willow and birch trees already looking very yellow last week in Yorkshire 😬🍁🍂
August 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Willow and birch trees already looking very yellow last week in Yorkshire 😬🍁🍂
A few of the interesting trees we saw this week while collecting data for our NERC funded project on the evolutionary response to ash dieback disease 🌳🌿 I never fail to be amazed at all the weird ways trees grow 😀 #Fraxinus #ashtree #ashdieback
August 8, 2025 at 10:32 AM
A few of the interesting trees we saw this week while collecting data for our NERC funded project on the evolutionary response to ash dieback disease 🌳🌿 I never fail to be amazed at all the weird ways trees grow 😀 #Fraxinus #ashtree #ashdieback
New @rbgkew.bsky.social research project on ash dieback disease as part of @forest-protection.bsky.social 😀 with @rbuggs.bsky.social and @danielwood1992.bsky.social We’ve been busy collecting samples this week for genomic analysis 🌳🧬👩💻
📢 PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
🌳 Could genetic resistance save ash trees from dieback?
🔬 Our scientists are investigating just that and aim to develop a tool to identify & breed resistant ash trees.
🔗 Read more: forestprotection.uk/project/cfp2...
🌳 Could genetic resistance save ash trees from dieback?
🔬 Our scientists are investigating just that and aim to develop a tool to identify & breed resistant ash trees.
🔗 Read more: forestprotection.uk/project/cfp2...
July 23, 2025 at 11:16 AM
New @rbgkew.bsky.social research project on ash dieback disease as part of @forest-protection.bsky.social 😀 with @rbuggs.bsky.social and @danielwood1992.bsky.social We’ve been busy collecting samples this week for genomic analysis 🌳🧬👩💻
Preprint now out for our Fraxinus excelsior pangenome 🌿🧬🌿🧬🌿🧬🌿 - huge thanks to @danielwood1992.bsky.social for working so hard on this!
Check out our preprint presenting the construction and application of a pangenome for European ash @laura-j-kelly.bsky.social @rbuggs.bsky.social
European ash pangenome reveals widespread structural variation and a diverse genetic basis for low ash dieback susceptibility https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.16.665114v1
July 21, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Preprint now out for our Fraxinus excelsior pangenome 🌿🧬🌿🧬🌿🧬🌿 - huge thanks to @danielwood1992.bsky.social for working so hard on this!
Still time to apply for a six-month internship with @forest-protection.bsky.social - applications for positions based at Kew close on 22nd July!
🌳Have you heard about our fantastic new #treehealth and #forestprotection internship opportunities with @forestresearchuk.bsky.social & @rbgkew.bsky.social?
🔗Click for more info: www.forestprotection.uk/2025/07/04/c...
#CentreForForestProtection #ForestResearch #RoyalBotanicGardensKew #Internship
🔗Click for more info: www.forestprotection.uk/2025/07/04/c...
#CentreForForestProtection #ForestResearch #RoyalBotanicGardensKew #Internship
July 19, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Still time to apply for a six-month internship with @forest-protection.bsky.social - applications for positions based at Kew close on 22nd July!
Excited to be contributing to this new project looking at the combined threat to ash trees from ash dieback and the emerald ash borer 🌿🍄🪲🌳
📢 PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
🌳 Our scientists are studying whether resistance to ash dieback helps or hinders ash trees against the emerald ash borer beetle.
🏅Goal: breed resilient UK ash trees. Read more:
forestprotection.uk/project/cfp2...
#ForestProtection #TreeHealth #PlantHealth
🌳 Our scientists are studying whether resistance to ash dieback helps or hinders ash trees against the emerald ash borer beetle.
🏅Goal: breed resilient UK ash trees. Read more:
forestprotection.uk/project/cfp2...
#ForestProtection #TreeHealth #PlantHealth
Dodging the double whammy – ash dieback and emerald ash borer - Centre for Forest Protection
forestprotection.uk
July 16, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Excited to be contributing to this new project looking at the combined threat to ash trees from ash dieback and the emerald ash borer 🌿🍄🪲🌳
Reposted by Laura Kelly
📢 NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS 📢
🌳 Earlier this year, the #CentreforForestProtection was awarded £4m in #Defra funding to support 16 new research projects in 2025/26.
🔬 Over the coming weeks, we will be showcasing each project across our social media channels, so keep an eye out to learn more!
🌳 Earlier this year, the #CentreforForestProtection was awarded £4m in #Defra funding to support 16 new research projects in 2025/26.
🔬 Over the coming weeks, we will be showcasing each project across our social media channels, so keep an eye out to learn more!
Homepage - Centre for Forest Protection
The Center for Forest Protection safeguards forests, trees, and woodlands with science, research, advice, and training.
www.forestprotection.uk
July 14, 2025 at 9:01 AM
📢 NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS 📢
🌳 Earlier this year, the #CentreforForestProtection was awarded £4m in #Defra funding to support 16 new research projects in 2025/26.
🔬 Over the coming weeks, we will be showcasing each project across our social media channels, so keep an eye out to learn more!
🌳 Earlier this year, the #CentreforForestProtection was awarded £4m in #Defra funding to support 16 new research projects in 2025/26.
🔬 Over the coming weeks, we will be showcasing each project across our social media channels, so keep an eye out to learn more!
Six-month internships available as part of the Centre for Forest Protection - including two with @danielwood1992.bsky.social working on ash trees! 🌳🧬
📢INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES📢
🌳Are you interested in #treehealth and #forestprotection? Then check out our exciting new internships based at @forestresearchuk.bsky.social and @rbgkew.bsky.social, two of Britain’s leading research institutes!
Click on the link below to find out more!
#Internships
🌳Are you interested in #treehealth and #forestprotection? Then check out our exciting new internships based at @forestresearchuk.bsky.social and @rbgkew.bsky.social, two of Britain’s leading research institutes!
Click on the link below to find out more!
#Internships
Centre for Forest Protection Internship Vacancies – 2025/26 - Centre for Forest Protection
We are recruiting six new interns across Forest Research and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to work on a wide range of projects. Take a look to see if there is one for you!
www.forestprotection.uk
July 4, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Six-month internships available as part of the Centre for Forest Protection - including two with @danielwood1992.bsky.social working on ash trees! 🌳🧬
Reposted by Laura Kelly
BIG NEWS! We’ve found that ash trees are fighting back against ash dieback disease! 🌳💪
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
June 27, 2025 at 11:32 AM
BIG NEWS! We’ve found that ash trees are fighting back against ash dieback disease! 🌳💪
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
Some good news for ash trees 🌳🌿 congratulations @carey-metheringham.bsky.social on all your amazing work for this study, and to our other co-authors, especially Richard Nichols and Richard Buggs at QMUL and Kew! I am very happy to have been able to play a small part ☺️
After three long years, the last part of my PhD work is now published in Science!
We found that ash trees in the UK are evolving (some) resistance to ash dieback; a rare case where natural selection is happening quickly enough to see within a single generation.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We found that ash trees in the UK are evolving (some) resistance to ash dieback; a rare case where natural selection is happening quickly enough to see within a single generation.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Rapid polygenic adaptation in a wild population of ash trees under a novel fungal epidemic
Rapid evolution through small shifts in allele frequencies at thousands of loci is a long-standing neo-Darwinian prediction but is hard to characterize in the wild. European ash tree (Fraxinus excelsi...
www.science.org
June 27, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Some good news for ash trees 🌳🌿 congratulations @carey-metheringham.bsky.social on all your amazing work for this study, and to our other co-authors, especially Richard Nichols and Richard Buggs at QMUL and Kew! I am very happy to have been able to play a small part ☺️
NERC-funded internships for undergraduate and integrated Master’s students - opening for applications soon!
We are sowing the SEEDS for our NERC-funded summer internship programme—Supporting Equity, Engagement and Development in Science ... (SEEDS).
For information about SEEDS, please visit www.trees-dla.ac.uk/seeds-summer...
The page includes a link to sign up to the SEEDS mailing list.
For information about SEEDS, please visit www.trees-dla.ac.uk/seeds-summer...
The page includes a link to sign up to the SEEDS mailing list.
May 12, 2025 at 8:39 AM
NERC-funded internships for undergraduate and integrated Master’s students - opening for applications soon!
Reposted by Laura Kelly
We have a new vacancy in my Section for a Kew Research Fellow in Plant & Fungal Science. This is an opp for an early-career researcher to develop their science portfolio & skills in a vibrant research environment, working
@KewScience please RP
careers.kew.org/vacancy/kew-... Deadline 20/04/2025🧵
@KewScience please RP
careers.kew.org/vacancy/kew-... Deadline 20/04/2025🧵
Kew Research Fellow (Trait Diversity and Function) - Careers | Kew GardensMenuClose menu
We are seeking applications from promising early-career scientists with interesting, innovative, and viable research ideas for the Kew Research Fellowship in Plant and Fungal Science. The Kew Research...
careers.kew.org
March 13, 2025 at 7:19 PM
We have a new vacancy in my Section for a Kew Research Fellow in Plant & Fungal Science. This is an opp for an early-career researcher to develop their science portfolio & skills in a vibrant research environment, working
@KewScience please RP
careers.kew.org/vacancy/kew-... Deadline 20/04/2025🧵
@KewScience please RP
careers.kew.org/vacancy/kew-... Deadline 20/04/2025🧵
A great series of webinars coming up on tree health and adaptation from the Centre for Forest Protection, including two by my group on ash genomics and predicting biotic risks to non-native trees 🧬🌿🐛🌳👇
📢 A series of webinars on #plathealth in March (next month ) from our friends at The Centre for Forest Protection (an joint initiative by Kew Gardens and Forest Research UK).
🌳 👇
🌳 👇
Centre for Forest Protection Webinars - Centre for Forest Protection
Join us at the end of March to hear about our latest research findings.
buff.ly
February 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
A great series of webinars coming up on tree health and adaptation from the Centre for Forest Protection, including two by my group on ash genomics and predicting biotic risks to non-native trees 🧬🌿🐛🌳👇
PDRA opportunity at Kew - chance to work on an exciting new project with a wonderful boss! (speaking from first hand experience ☺️)
Post-doc alert: Evolutionary genomics of diploidization of polyploids, with a terrific team
careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
Post-doctoral Researcher in Evolutionary Genomics of Polyploids - Careers | Kew GardensMenuClose menu
We are seeking a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher to play a key role in helping to deliver an exciting new 4-year multi-partner BBSRC research project focused on understanding genome evolutio...
careers.kew.org
February 17, 2025 at 7:16 AM
PDRA opportunity at Kew - chance to work on an exciting new project with a wonderful boss! (speaking from first hand experience ☺️)
This sounds very exciting! My group is investigating the role of SVs in adaptation of ash trees to the ash dieback epidemic in our @ukri.org and @forest-protection.bsky.social funded projects so looking forward to reading this soon 😀
Comparative population pangenomes reveal unexpected complexity and fitness effects of structural variants https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.11.637762v1
February 16, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This sounds very exciting! My group is investigating the role of SVs in adaptation of ash trees to the ash dieback epidemic in our @ukri.org and @forest-protection.bsky.social funded projects so looking forward to reading this soon 😀
More bad news for beech trees 😕
Warmer summers are causing European beeches to produce seed more often, depleting the trees’ stored resources—an indirect effect of climate change that is threatening the sustainability of Europe’s most widespread forest tree. In PNAS: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
February 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
More bad news for beech trees 😕