Molecular Horticulture topics

Dr. Luke Bell is a Lecturer in Molecular Horticulture at the University of Reading, where his research addresses critical challenges at the intersection of food security, climate change, and consumer quality. His work is primarily focused on enhancing crop resilience and optimising the nutritional and sensory traits of horticultural produce.

Dr. Bell’s research is deeply informed by his prior experience in industry, where he worked for several years as a plant breeder. In this role, he developed commercial breeding programs for leafy salad and herb species, cultivating a specialist interest in crop biochemistry and its connection to flavour and nutrition. This industry background now forms the cornerstone of his academic research into climate-smart horticulture and food loss prevention.

His key achievements include generating the first reference genome sequence for the leafy vegetable Eruca vesicaria (salad rocket) and developing a state-of-the-art volatilomics platform at the University of Reading to study plant chemical compounds. His ongoing projects involve enhancing the resilience of UK fruit and vegetable supply chains, investigating the impact of climate change on crop biochemistry, and optimising controlled environment agriculture at the molecular level.

Dr. Bell holds a PhD in Food & Nutritional Science from the University of Reading, an MSc in Plant & Environmental Science from the University of Warwick, and a BSc in Ecology & Biology from the University of East Anglia. In recognition of his work, he has previously received the Horticulturae Young Investigator Award and is a recognized leader in the field of food chemistry. He currently serves as an Associate Editor for two leading international journals in horticultural and food sciences.