Fovios currently works as part of Professor Anthony Dodd’s group, focusing on circadian research and supported by the UKRI-BBSRC Norwich Research Park Doctoral Training Partnership.
Plants employ circadian rhythms to align their metabolism and physiology with 24 h alterations in environmental conditions. Ecological and evolutionary processes are affected by anthropogenically caused environmental changes, creating concerns about the speed at which the germplasm of plants – including crops – might change in response to environmental changes that are relatively rapid compared with rates of evolution.
By understanding the effect of daily and seasonal environments upon circadian clock components, Fovios’ work focuses on gaining insights into the contribution of circadian rhythms in plants to the resilience of crops to future climates. This includes investigation of key developmental phenotypes that are regulated directly by both the circadian clock and environmental fluctuations.