Lab Leader

0000-0001-6912-0156

Florian is a theoretical and experimental plant physiologist interested in all aspects of photosynthesis. His focus is on linking different photosynthetic processes with mathematical models to study the biochemical limitations of carbon fixation and to gain a quantitative understanding of how plant carbon uptake responds to changes in the environment.

UoB profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

0000-0002-4625-9769

Anna's current research interests focus on the physiological performance of our terrestrial carbon sinks. In particular, she is interested in tree and mature forest ecosystem responses to climate change. 

1.  The effects of elevated CO₂ on mature temperate forests with a focus on leaf-level physiology (e.g. photosynthetic capacity), morphology (e.g. M_area) and biochemical (e.g. C, N and photosynthetic pigments) leaf traits. 

2. The use of models (e.g. Optimal Stomatal Model) to characterize physiological behaviour (e.g. stomatal behaviour and water-use) among key plant functional types with future changes in our climate. 
 

Postdoctoral Researcher

0000-0002-5191-676X

Diego is a Plant Physiologist who combines theoretical biophysics and experimental approaches to develop mechanistic models for gas exchange, carbon fixation, and hydraulic systems in plants. His work at the Busch Lab focuses on CO₂ gradients and resistances to CO₂ diffusion in mesophyll's intercellular air space and liquid volume.

Visitor

0009-0003-2476-7230

Yanyan is a lecturer at South-Central Minzu University in China and is spending a year on sabbatical in the Busch lab, funded by the Chinese Scholarship Council. Her research involves rapid propagation and molecular breeding of Chinese medicinal plants, analysis of medicinal components of medicinal plants, and development and utilization of biopesticides from Chinese medicinal waste. 

Yanyan is currently learning how to measure photosynthetic gas exchange and quantify the effects of photorespiration on plant development in Florian's team. Her aim is to use mathematical models to analyze the photosynthetic characteristics of medicinal plants and provide a new perspective for the selection and breeding of medicinal varieties.

Emma did her MSci project with us in 2022/2023 quantifying photorespiration in wheat plants. She is now a PhD student at the University of Oxford.

Tobias works at the Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. He was based in the Busch lab on a Royal Society Wolfson visiting Fellowship from Aug 2023 - Aug 2024. During his sabbatical at UoB he studied how roots are twisting and growing in helices.  

Milton is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Bioscience, São Paulo State University, São Vicente, Brazil. He spent a sabbatical visit in our lab from Oct 2022 - Jan 2023. During his visit he learned how to quantify cuticular conductance in leaves.

Haixia is a PhD student with Sam Taylor at the University of Lancaster. She visited our lab for two weeks in October 2024 to learn how to independently measure gas exchange on both sides of a leaf. She applied this to quantify abaxial and adaxial cuticular conductance in different varieties of soy bean. 

Sheetal is a PhD student in the MIBTP doctoral training programme at the University of Warwick. From Jan - April 2024 she was a project student in our lab investigating the impact of H₂¹⁸O on the sensitivity of humidity readings of the LI-6800.