Professor Daniel Gibbs PhD, MSc, BSc

•  2009 - PhD Plant molecular biology, University of Birmingham
• 2005 - MSc Applied Genetics, University of Birmingham
• 2004 - BSc Biological Sciences (Genetics), University of Birmingham

After completing his undergraduate and master’s studies - with a focus on Genetics (BSc) and Applied Genetics (MSc) -  Daniel stayed on at the University of Birmingham (UoB) to complete a PhD with Dr Juliet Coates, where he investigated roles for protein degradation (proteolysis) in the control of root branching in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (e.g., Nibau et al. 2011 Plant Molecular Biology; Gibbs et al. 2014 New Phytologist). In 2009 he moved to the lab of Prof Michael Holdsworth at the University of Nottingham, for a BBSRC-funded postdoc studying the N-end rule (now N-degron) pathway of protein degradation (Gibbs et al 2014 Trends in plant Science). This work led to the discovery of the importance of this pathway for the perception of oxygen and nitric oxide in plants (Gibbs et al. 2011 Nature; Gibbs et al. 2014 Molecular Cell; recently reviewed in Holdsworth and Gibbs 2020 Current Biology). In 2012 he was awarded an independent Nottingham Advanced Research Fellowship to develop his research independence, and in October 2013 he returned to UoB to establish his own research group as a Birmingham Fellow. In 2017 he was promoted to Associate Professor, and in 2020 to full Professor. 

Daniel continues to investigate the plant N-degron pathways and other mechanisms of protein degradation. In 2015 he was awarded a BBSRC New Investigator grant to investigate roles for protein N-terminal acetylation in the control of protein stability (e.g., Etherington et al. 2023 Plant Physiology), and in 2016 he was awarded a prestigious 5 year ERC Starting Grant (GasPlaNt) to explore how proteolytic control of chromatin modifying proteins regulates the epigenome in response to oxygen and nitric oxide (e.g., Gibbs et al. 2018 Nature Communications; Labandera et al. 2021 New Phytologist).  Current BBSRC-funded projects (as of 2024) are focussed on further delineation of oxygen-regulated chromatin modifications and how they feed into the regulation of plant development, stress tolerance and the establishment of stress memories.  He is also studying protein degradation mechanisms within the context of meiotic recombination and has further interests in understanding the cross-over between protein synthesis and degradation during co-translational mRNA and protein quality control.

In addition to running his research team, Daniel is the Plant Science and Food Security theme lead, Deputy Head of Research in the school of Biosciences and Chair of the UoB BBSRC Strategy Group. He is the Gatsby plant science mentor at UoB, a handing editor at the Journal of Experimental Botany, and was recently appointed as a member of BBSRC Research Committee E, following a 4-year stint on Research Committee B.

Daniel teaches on 2^nd and 3^rd year plant science modules and is also an undergraduate tutor.  He lectures on plant development and plant-environment interactions, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms underpinning plant growth and stress responses, as well as how basic research can be used for crop improvement through traditional breeding and genetic engineering approaches.   

He also supervises final year undergraduate project students as well as MSci, MSc and MRes students in his lab.  

Daniel has previously supervised PhD projects looking at hypoxic control of chromatin modifying proteins, N-terminal protein acetylation, and co-translational protein quality control.  He is interested in supervising PhD projects linked to protein degradation mechanisms and stress tolerance in plants, and advertises topics each year through findaphd.com.

Daniel’s research team use a range of genetic, cell biology and biochemical approaches to uncover new functions for protein degradation in the control of growth, development, and stress responsiveness. We are focussed on uncovering the fundamental processes underpinning plant biology, but also aim to identify new targets for improving key traits in important crop species.  Current projects are investigating: (1) the connection between protein synthesis and degradation during mRNA translation; (2) how proteolytic control of repressive and activating chromatin modifying proteins regulates the epigenome in response to the environment, and (3) how protein degradation helps to coordinate meiotic recombination.

Please see publication list for recent outputs of the lab. 

• Recipient of the 2019 Society of Experimental Biology (SEB) Presidet’d Medal (Plant Section)

• Dan is currently a member of the GARNet advisory committee.  GARNet is the BBSRC-funded network for UK plant science, and interacts with the plant science community through the support of grant applications, organisation of meetings/workshops, responding to calls for evidence as well as keeping the community informed about relevant new developments. For more info see: https://www.garnetcommunity.org.uk/

• Dan is also the Gatsby mentor at Birmingham, responsible for coordinating undergraduate applications to the annual Gatsby plant science summer school and summer research studentships, as well as acting as a general link between the university and Gatsby. For more info see: http://www.gatsby.org.uk/plant-science/about
• Member of the International Society of Plant Anaerobiosis (ISPA)
• Recipient of the 2013 ISPA “Outstanding Scientist” award, presented at the 11th international ISPA conference, held at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines.