Dr Luke Dunning

School of Biosciences

Senior Research Fellow

Luke Dunning
Profile picture of Luke Dunning
Profile
  • NERC Independent Research Fellow, University of 91直播, UK (2020鈥抪resent)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of 91直播, UK (2015鈥2020)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Imperial College London, UK (2013鈥2014)
  • PhD, University of Auckland, NZ (2014)
  • MRes in Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK (2008)
  • BSc in Ecology and Environmental Management, Cardiff University, UK (2007)
Research interests

I am an evolutionary biologist interested in understanding how organisms adapt to novel environments by combining cutting-edge genomic techniques, ecological analyses and experimental approaches. Most of my research focuses on rapid adaptation in the grass family, the most economically and ecologically important group of plants.

  1. The evolutionary consequences of lateral gene transfer in grasses.
    Our previous work has shown that lateral gene transfer (LGT) is prevalent in grasses where it is responsible for spreading functional genes of adaptive significance between species. We are building on this work to understand the ecological drivers, evolutionary implications and the mechanisms behind these transfers.
  2. Pan-genome variation and local adaptation in grasses.
    Not all individuals within an species have the same set of genes, and this gene content variation is likely to have important consequences for environmental adaptation. We are currently investigating the evolutionary forces resulting in this mosaic pattern of gene presence, and trying to understand how this variation is distributed at different biological levels.
  3. Adapting to life on the beach
    Dune grasses have convergently evolved to tolerate an ecologically stressful cocktail of drought, salinity, high winds and burial under moving sand. They are also key ecosystem engineers that stabilise and maintain the sand dunes, the most at-risk habitat in Europe. We use genomic techniques and experimental approaches to understand how coastal beach grasses survive in an environment where the sands are literally shifting around them, and how these adaptive traits have evolved over time.  In collaboration with coastal ecologists and coastal engineers, we also aim to determine how genetic variation with a plant can translate to whole landscape changes 
Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Cavalet-Giorsa E, Gonz谩lez-Mu帽oz A, Athiyannan N, Holden S, Salhi A, Gardener C, Quiroz-Ch谩vez J, Rustamova SM, Elkot AF, Patpour M , Rasheed A et al (2024) . Nature. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alenazi AS, Pereira L, Christin P, Osborne CP & Dunning LT (2024) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Raimondeau P, Bianconi ME, Pereira L, Parisod C, Christin P & Dunning LT (2023) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Olofsson JK, Papadopulos AST, Hibdige SGS, Hidalgo O, Leitch IJ, Baleeiro PC, Ntshangase S, Barker N & Jobson RW (2022) . Molecular Ecology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hibdige SGS, Raimondeau P, Christin PA & Dunning LT (2021) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Phansopa C, Dunning LT, Reid JD & Christin P-A (2020) . Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37(11), 3094-3104. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Olofsson JK, Parisod C, Choudhury RR, Moreno-Villena JJ, Yang Y, Dionora J, Quick WP, Park M, Bennetzen JL , Besnard G et al (2019) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(10), 4416-4425. RIS download Bibtex download

All publications

Journal articles

  • Coates SER, Comeault AA, Wood DP, Fay MF, Creer S, Osborne OG, Dunning LT & Papadopulos AST (2025) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(5). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cavalet-Giorsa E, Gonz谩lez-Mu帽oz A, Athiyannan N, Holden S, Salhi A, Gardener C, Quiroz-Ch谩vez J, Rustamova SM, Elkot AF, Patpour M , Rasheed A et al (2024) . Nature. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alenazi AS, Pereira L, Christin P, Osborne CP & Dunning LT (2024) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Raimondeau P, Bianconi ME, Pereira L, Parisod C, Christin P & Dunning LT (2023) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alenazi AS, Bianconi ME, Middlemiss E, Milenkovic V, Curran EV, Sotelo G, Lundgren MR, Nyirenda F, Pereira L, Christin P , Dunning LT et al (2023) . Plant, Cell and Environment. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wood DP, Holmberg JA, Osborne OG, Helmstetter AJ, Dunning LT, Ellison AR, Smith RJ, Lighten J & Papadopulos AST (2023) . Nature Ecology and Evolution. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Olofsson JK, Papadopulos AST, Hibdige SGS, Hidalgo O, Leitch IJ, Baleeiro PC, Ntshangase S, Barker N & Jobson RW (2022) . Molecular Ecology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bianconi ME, Christin P-A & Dunning LT (2022) . Molecular Plant. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bianconi ME, Sotelo G, Curran EV, Milenkovic V, Samaritani E, Dunning LT, Bertolino LT, Osborne CP & Christin P (2022) . Plant, Cell & Environment. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Papadopulos AST, Helmstetter AJ, Osborne OG, Comeault AA, Wood DP, Straw EA, Mason L, Fay MF, Parker J, Dunning LT , Foote AD et al (2021) . Molecular Biology and Evolution. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hibdige SGS, Raimondeau P, Christin PA & Dunning LT (2021) . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Arthan W, Dunning LT, Besnard G, Manzi S, Kellogg EA, Hackel J, Lehmann CER, Mitchley J & Vorontsova MS (2021) . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bianconi ME, Dunning LT, Curran EV, Hidalgo O, Powell RF, Mian S, Leitch IJ, Lundgren MR, Manzi S, Vorontsova MS , Besnard G et al (2020) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287(1938). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Phansopa C, Dunning LT, Reid JD & Christin P-A (2020) . Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37(11), 3094-3104. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT & Christin P (2020) . American Journal of Botany, 107(4), 541-544. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson JK, Dunning LT, Lundgren MR, Barton HJ, Thompson J, Cuff N, Ariyarathne M, Yakandawala D, Sotelo G, Zeng K , Osborne CP et al (2019) . Current Biology, 29. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Papadopulos AST, Igea J, Dunning LT, Osborne OG, Quan X, Pellicer J, Turnbull C, Hutton I, Baker WJ, Butlin RK & Savolainen V (2019) . Evolution, 73(9), 1986-1995. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Moreno-Villena JJ, Lundgren MR, Dionora J, Salazar P, Adams C, Nyirenda F, Olofsson JK, Mapaura A, Grundy IM , Kayombo CJ et al (2019) . Journal of Experimental Botany. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson JK, Cantera I, Van de Paer C, Hong鈥怶a C, Zedane L, Dunning LT, Alberti A, Christin PA & Besnard G (2019) . Molecular Ecology Resources. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Olofsson JK, Parisod C, Choudhury RR, Moreno-Villena JJ, Yang Y, Dionora J, Quick WP, Park M, Bennetzen JL , Besnard G et al (2019) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(10), 4416-4425. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Lundgren MR, Dunning LT, Olofsson JK, Moreno鈥怴illena JJ, Bouvier JW, Sage TL, Khoshravesh R, Sultmanis S, Stata M, Ripley BS , Vorontsova MS et al (2019) . Ecology Letters, 22(2), 302-312. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wood DP, Olofsson JK, McKenzie SW & Dunning LT (2018) . Botany Letters, 165(3-4), 476-486. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bianconi ME, Dunning LT, Moreno-Villena JJ, Osborne CP & Christin P-A (2018) . Journal of Experimental Botany, 69(8), 1967-1980. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Moreno-Villena JJ, Dunning LT, Osborne CP & Christin P-A (2018) . Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35(1), 94-106. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Liabot A-L, Olofsson JK, Smith EK, Vorontsova MS, Besnard G, Simpson KJ, Lundgren MR, Addicott E, Gallagher RV , Chu Y et al (2017) . Botany Letters, 164(4), 327-337. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Lundgren MR, Moreno-Villena JJ, Namaganda M, Edwards EJ, Nosil P, Osborne CP & Christin P-A (2017) . Evolution, 71(6), 1541-1555. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson JK, Bianconi M, Besnard G, Dunning LT, Lundgren MR, Holota H, Vorontsova MS, Hidalgo O, Leitch IJ, Nosil P , Osborne CP et al (2016) . Molecular Ecology, 25(24), 6107-6123. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ciezarek AG, Dunning LT, Jones CS, Noble LR, Humble E, Stefanni SS & Savolainen V (2016) . Genome Biology and Evolution, 8(9), 3011-3021. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Hipperson H, Baker WJ, Butlin RK, Devaux C, Hutton I, Igea J, Papadopulos AST, Quan X, Smadja CM , Turnbull CGN et al (2016) . Journal of Evolutionary Biology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hipperson H, Dunning LT, Baker WJ, Butlin RK, Hutton I, Papadopulos AST, Smadja CM, Wilson TC, Devaux C & Savolainen V (2016) . Journal of Evolutionary Biology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Swift DG, Dunning LT, Igea J, Brooks EJ, Jones CS, Noble LR, Ciezarek A, Humble E & Savolainen V (2016) . BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dennis AB, Dunning LT, Sinclair BJ & Buckley TR (2015) . Scientific Reports, 5(13965). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cornetti L, Valente LM, Dunning LT, Quan X, Black RA, H茅bert O & Savolainen V (2015) . Genome Biology and Evolution, 7(9), 2680-2691. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Papadopulos AST, Kaye M, Devaux C, Hipperson H, Lighten J, Dunning LT, Hutton I, Baker WJ, Butlin RK & Savolainen V (2014) . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369(1648). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Dennis AB, Sinclair BJ, Newcomb RD & Buckley TR (2014) . Molecular Ecology, 23(11), 2712-2726. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dennis AB, Dunning LT, Dennis CJ, Sinclair BJ & Buckley TR (2014) . New Zealand Entomologist, 37(1), 35-44. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Dennis AB, Thomson G, Sinclair BJ, Newcomb RD & Buckley TR (2013) . BMC Evolutionary Biology, 13(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Dennis AB, Park D, Sinclair BJ, Newcomb RD & Buckley TR (2013) . Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics, 8(1), 24-31. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Baraloto C, Hardy OJ, Paine CET, Dexter KG, Cruaud C, Dunning LT, Gonzalez M-A, Molino J-F, Sabatier D, Savolainen V & Chave J (2012) . Journal of Ecology, 100(3), 690-701. RIS download Bibtex download
  • () . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jobson RW & Dunning L () . Telopea, 27. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sotelo G, Gamboa S, Dunning LT, Christin P & Varela S () . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson JK, Tyler T, Dunning LT, Hjertson M, R眉hling 脜 & Hansen AJ () . American Journal of Botany. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pereira L, Bianconi ME, Osborne CP, Christin P-A & Dunning LT () . Annals of Botany. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pereira L & Dunning LT () . Plant Physiology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pereira L, Christin P & Dunning LT () . PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Young SNR, Dunning LT, Liu H, Stevens CJ & Lundgren MR () . Journal of Experimental Botany. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson JK, Curran EV, Nyirenda F, Bianconi ME, Dunning LT, Milenkovic V, Sotelo G, Hidalgo O, Powell RF, Lundgren MR , Leitch IJ et al () . Molecular Ecology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • DUNNING LT & SAVOLAINEN V () . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 164(1), 1-9. RIS download Bibtex download

Chapters

  • Ramstad KM & Dunning LT (2020) , Population Genomics Springer International Publishing RIS download Bibtex download

Preprints

  • Osborne OG, Wood DP, Dobreva MP, Dunning LT, Tucker R, Coates SER, Pellicer J, Holmberg J, Algar AC, Bocedi G , Gubry-Rangin C et al (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Arthan W, Baker WJ, Barrett MD, Barrett RL, Bennetzen J, Besnard G, Bianconi ME, Birch JL, Catal谩n P, Chen W , Christenhusz M et al (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Coates SER, Comeault AA, Wood DP, Fay MF, Creer S, Osborne OG, Dunning LT & Papadopulos AST (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alenazi AS, Pereira L, Christin P-A, Osborne CP & Dunning LT (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cavalet-Giorsa E, Gonz谩lez-Mu帽oz A, Athiyannan N, Holden S, Salhi A, Gardener C, Quiroz-Ch谩vez J, Rustamova SM, Elkot AF, Patpour M , Rasheed A et al (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Raimondeau P, Bianconi ME, Pereira L, Parisod C, Christin P-A & Dunning LT (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson J, Tyler T, Dunning L, Hjertson M, R眉hling 脜 & Hansen A (2022) , Authorea. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wood DP, Holmberg JA, Osborne OG, Helmstetter AJ, Dunning LT, Ellison AR, Smith RJ, Lighten J & Papadopulos AST () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dunning LT, Oloffson JK, Papadopulos AST, Baleeiro PC, Ntshangase S, Barker N & Jobson RW () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bianconi ME, Sotelo G, Curran EV, Milenkovic V, Samaritani E, Dunning LT, Bertolino LT, Osborne CP & Christin P-A () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olofsson J, Curran E, Nyirenda F, Bianconi M, Dunning L, Milenkovic V, Sotelo G, Hidalgo O, Powell R, Lundgren M , Leitch IJ et al () , Authorea, Inc.. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Papadopulos AST, Helmstetter AJ, Osborne OG, Comeault AA, Wood DP, Straw EA, Mason L, Fay MF, Parker J, Dunning LT , Foote AD et al () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Postdoctoral Research Associates:

  • Dr Lara Pereira
  • Dr Emma Curran
  • Dr William Brightly (NSF fellow - Co-supervised)
Technicians:
  • Dr Emily Bailes
PhD Students:
  • Catherine Collins
  • George Hirons-Alecrim
  • Noah Bourne
  • Emily Baker
  • Ghadah Fhaid (Co-supervised)
  • Violette Pepper (Co-supervised)
  • Rafaela Stagiopoulou (Co-supervised)

Masters Students:

  • Harvey Jeffrey (MBiolSci)