Laura Forrest (ORCID; Scopus) has been employed at RBGE since 2011, where she provides technical support in the molecular laboratory as part of the Scientific and Technical Services (STS) team. This includes training and practical support for staff and visitors, and for undergraduate, masters and PhD students, lecturing on bryology and on molecular techniques, as well as involvement in the day-to-day running of the laboratories.

Most of her research time is spent on DNA barcoding the British liverworts, an ongoing RBGE project that aims to sample 2-5 accessions of all native species for a standard marker set (parts of the matK, rbcL, psbA-trnH and ITS2 loci). The project also involves an in-depth focus on a small group of genera including Aneura and Conocephalum.

Laura has ongoing projects investigating the phylogenetics of several groups of thalloid liverworts, including Fossombronia, Marchantia and Sphaerocarpos.

Laura was chair of the Organisation and Culture subgroup for RBGE's successful Athena SWAN Bronze award application, is a member of the RBGE Data Strategy Group, and a mentor for the Social Mobility Foundation.

Publications

A list of Laura’s publications is available from Google Scholar.

Societies

Council member, Systematics Association (2016-present)

Academic Qualifications

Ph.D., University of Glasgow, UK, A Phylogeny of Begoniaceae Bercht. & J. Presl. (Advisor: Peter Hollingsworth), 1997 – 2001

M.Sc., University of Reading, UK, Pure and Applied Plant and Fungal Taxonomy (project: Phylogeny of Polytrichaceae (Musci); Advisor: Terry Hedderson), with Distinction, 1994 – 1995

B.Sc. Hons., University of Edinburgh, UK, Biology (Plant Sciences), 1989-1993

Postdoctoral Positions

University of Connecticut, USA, Liverwort Tree of Life (NSF), 2009 – 2011

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, UK, Plant DNA barcoding, 2008 – 2009

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA, Liverwort systematics (PEET), 2002 – 2005

Employment

Forest Research NRS, UK, Research Associate: Population biology of oaks, 2001 – 2002

The Natural History Museum, London, UK, Research Associate: Linnaean Plant Name Typification Project, 1996 – 1997

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK, Plant Cytotaxonomist, 1993-1994

Press

Royal Botanic Garden Press release: 3rd Sept 2014

Scilly Today radio interview: 4th Sept 2014

BBC Radio Solent radio interview: 3rd Sept 2014

Scotland on Sunday newspaper interview: 2nd Sept 2012