Professor Miriam Gifford

Professor & Head of School

email: M.L.Gifford@warwick.ac.uk

phone: 024 765 75268

Office: C107

Bluesky: giffordlab.bsky.social

Gifford webpage

Research Clusters

Plant & Agricultural Sciences

Environment & Ecology

Quantitative, Systems & Engineering Biology

糖心TV Centres

糖心TV Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre

Vacancies and Opportunities

Opportunities in Gifford lab

Research Interests

We are interested in how plants interact with the environment. The mechanisms that facilitate this interaction are particularly important for plants since they are sessile yet still cope with environmental extremes.

When plant roots and microbes work together in symbiosis the ways they interact are even more important since more efficient interactions benefit both. By combining study of the root cell types that house microbes, the soil in which the interaction exists, and the genes and molecules regulating it, we aim to improve plant yield and sustainability in tune with the environment.

From root-soil-rhizosphere interactions, to circadian-shaping of nodulation, our work investigates a number of plant-nitrogen interactions. Please see my Gifford lab webpage where you can hear more details from the staff and students in the group.

Research: Technical Summary

Miriam Gifford has an international reputation for studying networks involved in plant responses to the environment, with a particular focus on modelling cell type specific gene networks enabling symbiosis with rhizobia (BB/P002145/1) and the impact of the circadian clock on nodulation (BB/T015357/1) and on the rhizosphere.

The lab鈥檚 collaborations with mathematical and computational scientists have resulted in advances in bioinformatic methods, such as network inference and meta-transcriptomics, including in tomato on the EU ROOTOPOWER project in which MG led one of the six work packages.

At the evolutionary level, MG has investigated connections between nodulation and lateral root development (BB/H019502/1, BB/J001872/1). Work has also included using population level studies (GWAS) and discovery of genes that control specific root architecture traits under distinct nitrogen environments, including of the first nitrogen-regulated microRNA (US Patent# 60/918,443).

Please see my Gifford lab webpage where you can read more details.

Biography

School of Life Sciences, University of 糖心TV, UK

Professor and Head of School: 2021-onwards

Reader: 2019-2021

Associate Prof: 2014-2019

Assistant Prof: 2009-2014

Centre for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, USA

Post-doctoral fellow in Coruzzi & Birnbaum labs, inc. EMBO long-term fellowship: 2004-09

University of Edinburgh, UK

PhD: Cell layer specification during Arabidopsis embryogenesis: 2004

BSc Hons Biological Sciences / Honours Plant Science: 2001

Publications

Templalexis, Dimitris, Tsitsekian, Dikran, Daras, Gerasimos, Avgeri, Fengoula, Kinoshita, Toshinori, Gifford, Miriam L., Hatzopoulos, Polydefkis and Rigas, Stamatis (2025) Plant Physiology, 198 (4). doi: ISSN 0032-0889.

Chakraborty, Swaroop, Dhumal, Pankti, Guo, Zhipeng, Gifford, Miriam L. and Lynch, Iseult (2025) Matter, 8 (6). 102095. doi: ISSN 2590-2385.

Wharton, Cara, Beacham, Andrew, Gifford, Miriam L. and Monaghan, James (2025) Plant Methods, 21 (1). 29. doi: ISSN 1746-4811.

Rowson, Monique, Jolly, Matthew, Dickson, Suzanna, Gifford, Miriam L. and Carr茅, Isabelle A. (2024) Biochemical Society Transactions, 52 (3). pp. 1419-1430. doi: ISSN 0300-5127.

Hurst, Clare and Gifford, Miriam L. (2024) Development, 151 (2). dev202636. doi: ISSN 1477-9129.

Dong, Xiaoxu, Gifford, Miriam L. and Su, Chao (2024) Journal of Experimental Botany, 75 (2). pp. 508-510. doi: ISSN 1460-2431.

Gifford, Miriam L., Xu, Guohua, Dupuy, Lionel X., Vissenberg, Kris and Rebetzke, Greg (2024) Journal of Experimental Botany, 75 (2). pp. 503-507. doi: ISSN 1460-2431.

Lagunas, Beatriz, Richards, Luke, Sergaki, Chrysi, Burgess, Jamie, Pardal , Alonso Javier, Hussain, Rana M. F., Richmond, Bethany L., Baxter, Laura, Roy, Proyash, Pakidi, Anastasia, Stovold, Gina, V谩zquez, Sa煤l, Ott, Sascha, Sch盲fer, Patrick and Gifford, Miriam L. (2023) Microbiome, 11 (1). 146. doi: ISSN 2049-2618.

Wilkinson, Helen, Coppock, Alice, Richmond, Bethany L., Lagunas, Beatriz and Gifford, Miriam L. (2023) Plants, 12 (10). 1964. doi: ISSN 2223-7747.

Sheikh, Arsheed H., Zacharia, Iosif, Pardal, Alonso J., Dominguez-Ferreras, Ana, Sueldo, Daniela J., Kim, Jung-Gun, Balmuth, Alexi, Gutierrez, Jose R., Conlan, Brendon F., Ullah, Najeeb

(2023) Nature Communications, 14 (1). 2568. doi: ISSN 2041-1723.

Parkinson, Sam J., Tungsirisurp, Sireethorn, Joshi, Chitra, Richmond, Bethany L., Gifford, Miriam L., Sikder, Amrita, Lynch, Iseult, O鈥橰eilly, Rachel K. and Napier, Richard (2022) Nature Communications, 13 (1). 7385. doi: ISSN 2041-1723.

Richmond, Bethany L., Coelho, Chloe L., Wilkinson, Helen, McKenna, Joseph F., Ratchinski, P茅lagie, Schwarze, Maximillian, Frost, Matthew, Lagunas, Beatriz and Gifford, Miriam L. (2022) Physiologia Plantarum, 174 (2). doi: ISSN 0031-9317.

Achom, Mingkee, Roy, Proyash, Lagunas, Beatriz, Picot, Emma, Richards, L., Bonyadi-Pour, Roxanna, Pardal , Alonso Javier, Baxter, Laura, Richmond, Bethany L., Aschauer, N., Fletcher, E., Rowson, M., Blackwell, J., Rich-Griffin, C., Mysore, K. S., Wen, J., Ott, Sascha, Carr茅, Isabelle A. and Gifford, Miriam L. (2022) Journal of Experimental Botany, 73 (5). pp. 2142-2156. doi: ISSN 0022-0957.

Baxter, Laura, Roy, Proyash, Picot, Emma, Watts, Jess, Jones, Alexandra M., Wilkinson, Helen, Sch盲fer, Patrick, Gifford, Miriam L. and Lagunas, Beatriz (2021) Microorganisms, 9 (12). 2428. doi: ISSN 2076-2607.

Mart铆nez鈥怉nd煤jar, Cristina, Mart铆nez鈥怭茅rez, Ascensi贸n, Albacete, Alfonso, Mart铆nez鈥怣elgarejo, Purificaci贸n A., Dodd, Ian C., Thompson, Andrew J., Mohareb, Fady, Estelles鈥怢opez, Lucia, Kevei, Zoltan, Ferr谩ndez鈥怉yela, Almudena, P茅rez鈥怭茅rez, Jos茅 Manuel, Gifford, Miriam L. and P茅rez鈥怉lfocea, Francisco (2021) Plant, Cell & Environment, 44 (9). pp. 2966-2986. doi: ISSN 1365-3040.

Rogers, Alistair, Dietz, Karl-Josef, Gifford, Miriam L. and Lunn, John E. (2021) Journal of Experimental Botany, 72 (15). pp. 5270-5274. ISSN 0022-0957 doi:

Walker, Liam, Lagunas, Beatriz and Gifford, Miriam L. (2020) Frontiers in Microbiology, 11 . 585749. doi: ISSN 1664-302X.

Carroll, Daire, Holden, Nicola, Gifford, Miriam L. and Dupuy, Lionel X. (2020) Frontiers in Microbiology, 11 . doi: ISSN 1664-302X.

Roy, Proyash, Achom, Mingkee, Wilkinson, Helen, Lagunas, Beatriz and Gifford, Miriam L. (2020) Genes, 11 (4). 348. doi: ISSN 2073-4425.

Lagunas, Beatriz, Dodd, Ian C. and Gifford, Miriam L. (2019) Journal of Experimental Botany, 70 (19). pp. 5036-5039. doi: ISSN 1460-2431.

Lagunas, Beatriz, Achom, Mingkee, Bonyadi-Pour, Roxanna, Pardal , Alonso Javier, Richmond, Bethany L., Sergaki, Chrysi, V谩zquez, Sa煤l, Sch盲fer, Patrick, Ott, Sascha, Hammond, John and Gifford, Miriam L. (2019) Molecular Plant, 12 (6). pp. 833-846. doi: ISSN 1674-2052.

Sergaki, Chrysi, Lagunas, Beatriz, Lidbury, Ian, Gifford, Miriam L. and Sch盲fer, Patrick (2018) Frontiers in Plant Science, 9 . 1205. doi: ISSN 1664-462X.

Lagunas, Beatriz, Walker, Liam, Hussain, Rana Muhammad Fraz, Hands-Portman, Ian, Woolley-Allen, Kate and Gifford, Miriam L. (2018) In: Ristova D., Barbez E., (ed.) Root Development. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1761 . New York, NY: Humana Press, pp. 165-175. ISBN 9781493977475

Walker, Liam, Boddington, Clare, Jenkins, Dafyd J., Wang, Ying, Gronlund, Jesper T., Hulsmans, J., Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Dhaval, Moore, Jonathan D., Carter, Anthony, Samavedam, Siva, Bonomo, Giovanni, Hersh, David S., Coruzzi, Gloria鈥�, Burroughs, Nigel John and Gifford, Miriam L. (2017) The Plant Cell, 29 (10). pp. 2393-2412. doi: ISSN 1040-4651.

Ferr谩ndez-Ayela, Almudena , S谩nchez-Garc铆a, Ana Bel茅n, Mart铆nez-And煤jar, Cristina, Gifford, Miriam L., Thompson, Andrew J., P茅rez-Alfocea, Francisco and P茅rez-P茅rez, Jos茅 Manuel (2016) Functional Plant Biology, 43 (8). pp. 783-796. doi: ISSN 1445-4408.

Ferr谩ndez-Ayela, Almudena , S谩nchez-Garc铆a, Ana Bel茅n, Martinez-Andejar, Cristina, Kevei, Zoltan, Gifford, Miriam L., Thompson, Andrew J., P茅rez-Alfocea, Francisco and P茅rez-P茅rez, Jos茅 Manuel (2016) Functional Plant Biology, 43 (8). pp. 783-796. doi: ISSN 1445-4408.

Verni茅, Tatiana, Kim, Jiyoung, Frances, Lisa, Ding, Yiliang, Sun, Jongho, Guan, Dian, Niebel, Andreas, Gifford, Miriam L., de Carvalho-Niebel, Fernanda and Oldroyd, Giles E. D. (2015) The Plant Cell, 27 (12). pp. 3410-3424. doi: ISSN 1040-4651.

Coker, Timothy L. R., Cevik, Volkan, Beynon, Jim and Gifford, Miriam L. (2015) Frontiers in plant science, Volume 6 . pp. 1-13. Article number 527. doi: ISSN 1664-462X.

Reitz, M. U., Gifford, Miriam L. and Sch盲fer, Patrick (2015) Journal of Experimental Botany, 66 (8). pp. 2187-2197. doi: ISSN 0022-0957.

Lagunas, B., Sch盲fer, Patrick and Gifford, Miriam L. (2015) Journal of Experimental Botany, 66 (8). pp. 2177-2186. doi: ISSN 0022-0957.

Wang, Ying, Penfold, Christopher A., Hodgson, D. A., Gifford, Miriam L. and Burroughs, Nigel John (2014) Bioinformatics, Volume 30 (Number 19). pp. 2779-2786. doi: ISSN 1367-4803.

Carter, Anthony D., Bonyadi, Roxanna and Gifford, Miriam L. (2013) The International Journal of Developmental Biology, Volume 57 . pp. 545-552. doi: ISSN 0214-6282.

Gifford, Miriam L., Banta, Joshua A., Katari, Manpreet S., Hulsmans, Jo, Chen, Lisa, Ristova, Daniela, Tranchina, Daniel, Purugganan, Michael D., Coruzzi, Gloria, Birnbaum, Kenneth D., Rosas, Ulises and Cibrian-Jaramillo, Angelica (2013) PLoS Genetics, Volume 9 (Number 9). Article number e1003760. doi: ISSN 1553-7390.

Rosas, Ulises, Cibrian-Jaramillo, Angelica, Ristova, Daniela, Banta, Joshua A., Gifford, Miriam L., Fan, A. H., Zhou, R. W., Kim, G. J., Krouk, G., Birnbaum, Kenneth D., Purugganan, Michael D. and Coruzzi, G. M. (2013) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Volume 110 (Number 37). pp. 15133-15138. doi: ISSN 0027-8424.

Gr酶nlund, Jesper T., Eyres, Alison, Kumar, Sanjeev, Buchanan-Wollaston, Vicky and Gifford, Miriam L. (2012) Journal of Visualized Experiments (No.68). e4214. doi: ISSN 1940-087X.

Carter, A. and Gifford, Miriam L. (2010) In: Water & nitrogen use efficiency in plants and crops, Marston, Lincs, UK , 15-16 Dec 2010 . Published in: Aspects of Applied Biology, Vol.105 pp. 175-182. ISSN 0265-1491.

Gifford, Miriam L. (2010) In: Richards, K., (ed.) The new optimists : scientists view tomorrow's world & what it means to us. Linus Publishing. ISBN 978-1907843006

Gifford, Miriam L., Dean, A., Gutierrez, R. A., Coruzzi, G. M. and Birnbaum, Kenneth D. (2008) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol.105 (No.2). pp. 803-808. doi: ISSN 0027-8424.

Research Projects

Title	Funder	Award start	Award end
Deciphering hizosphere interface for climate smart breeding of pigeonpea	CABI	01 April 2025	31 March 2028
MoU with Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University for PhD students to visit	Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University	19 September 2024	18 September 2029
Functional flexibility of N-fixing rhizobacteria under changing environments - BBSRC-DFG Lead Agency Full Stage - January 2024	BBSRC	01 August 2025	31 July 2028
A broadly accessible and versatile spinning disc microscope to probe biological processes across temporal and spatial scales (BBSRC Alert 2025)	BBSRC	01 August 2025	31 July 2026
WIF Studentship Agreement with James Hutton Institute and MycoNourish - June 2023	James Hutton Institute, The	03 October 2022	02 April 2026
BBSRC ALERT22 Costings - Sarah Bennett	BBSRC	01 August 2023	31 July 2024
An N-fix in time (Responsive Mode)	BBSRC	01 June 2020	30 November 2023
UK-Brazil International Partnering Award: Development of novel strategies to address plant-microbes interactions in planta	BBSRC	01 April 2022	31 March 2023
Microbial establishment on growing rhizoplanes - WCPRS and James Hutton Studentship for Daire Carroll	James Hutton Institute, The	02 October 2017	30 June 2021
CoA: Capturing microbial co-symbiosis to sustain plant productivity; linked to Ideate 50031	UK Research and Innovation	01 November 2020	31 March 2021
Capturing microbial co-symbiosis to sustain plant productivity	BBSRC	01 October 2016	31 May 2020
MLSRF Mohan T Chandrashekarai	Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund	01 March 2018	28 February 2019
FP7 -ROOTOPOWER: Empowering root-targeted strategies to minimise abiotic stress impacts on horticultural cropsPrevious PI - Dr Andrew Thomsonplease note: collaborative project targeted to SMEs	EU	01 January 2012	31 December 2015
Dissecting the diverse development programmes in different tissues during the development of a nitrogen fixing nodule	BBSRC	01 April 2012	31 March 2015
Developing interdisciplinary omics tools for organelle and cell type-specific analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana	New Phytologist Trust	01 September 2014	30 September 2014
Comparative Cell-specific Profiling to understand the Molecular Basis of Nodulation	BBSRC	01 October 2010	30 September 2014
WU0128 Crop improvement or resource use efficiency	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	01 October 2009	30 September 2012
IF01105 Identifying genes that could improve nitrogen use efficiency	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	01 October 2009	31 March 2010

Teaching / Student Supervision

My lab say that my supervisory style is student-centred, spontaneous, and supportive. I host UG, PGT and PGR students interested in root-environment interactions and collaborate with others in SLS to extend our research into the rhizosphere, develop nanoparticle-nitrogen solutions and understand how the plant clock affects nodulation.

Y3 Undergraduate projects: All projects in my lab involve studying how the plant root senses and responds to nitrogen in the environment, either in tissue culture or soil, and especially when it is provided by N-fixing rhizobia. These projects can be from the plant or microbe side, and include developing novel methods using biochemistry or dry-bench analysis of data or image analysis. We are very flexible on topic and approach.

Group members

Current members
Dr Beatriz Lagunas	Dr Emma Picot	Dr Lisa King
Clare Hurst	Alice Coppock	Suzanna Dickson
Monique Rowson	Jamie Burgess	Zhipeng (Jack) Guo
Cara Wharton	Matthew Jolly	Hazel Marsden
Past members
Dr Zennia Paniwynk	Dr Jesper Gr酶nlund	Dr Sajjad Awan
Sanjeev Kumar	Dr Sally Adam	Dr Ying Wang
Dr. Dhaval Patel	Dr. Dafyd Jenkins	Dr. Fraz Hussain