Reader in Soil Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology

My scientific career began at Rothamsted Experimental Station (now Rothamsted Research) in 1978 working with pioneers in microbial ecology and plant root symbiotic mycorrhizal ecophysiology of crops. From 1987 to 2003, I worked at the University of Helsinki, Finland gaining a Ph.D and Docentship in forest soil microbiology. I went on to establish a forest microbiology research group at the Viikki Biocentre and was later awarded a 5-year Senior Research Fellowship (Academy of Finland). Between 2004-2005, I worked at the Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen as a Senior Scientist on forest soil food-web microbiology before taking up a Senior lectureship at MMU. I contributed to the successful RAE2008 submission and became a Reader in 2012.    

Professional Highlights

• Education
  • 1982 BSc (Hons) Applied Biology. North East London Polytechnic, Stratford.
  • 1992 Ph.D. General Microbiology. University of Helsinki, Finland
  • 2009 Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice, (PG Cert AP) Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Career
  • 1978-1986: Scientific Officer, Department of Soil Microbiology, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden.
  • 1987-1990: Researcher, Department of Botany, University of Helsinki, Finland.
  • 1990-1993: Researcher, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland.
  • 1993-2003: Post Doctoral Researcher/Senior Fellow of the Academy of Finland, Division of General Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
  • 2004-2005: Senior Scientist, Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen.
• Journal Editorships/Referee
  • Editor- Journal of Plant Interactions (2005-)
  • Editor- ISRN Soil Science (2011-)
  • Editorial Advisor - New Phytologist (1995-2008)
  • Referee - Over 15 journals in the field
• Fellowships & Memberships
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2010-)
  • Member of the Society of General Microbiology
  • Member of the International Mycorrhiza Society
  • Member of the British Ecological Society

  Management Responsibilities

  • Programme Leader Foundation and Combined Honours Geography

  Web sites

  • https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robin_Sen/?ev=hdr_xprf

I am qualified with a postgraduate teaching certificate (Academic Practice with merit) and teach soil and plant microbial ecology at all levels. I have been successfully supervising Masters and Ph.D students since 1990.

Academic Interests

• Mycorrhizal community ecology and spatial dynamics
• Bacterial and Archaeal interactions and functioning in mycorrhizospheres
• Biological control of root pathogens
• Phytoremediation: role and application of mycorrhizal fungi

Teaching Specialisms

• Soil microbial ecology
• Mycology
• Mycorrhizal ecophysiology

Research Interests

• Ph.D projects
  • Angus Rosenburgh: Sphagnum restoration in the Southern Pennines. (Director of Studies: Dr. Simon Caporn, co-supervisor with Prof. Nancy Dise and Dr. Matt Buckler, Moors for the Future Partnership. Funding 2009-2013: Moors for the Future Partnership and Manchester Metropolitan University).
• Group Projects
  • Impacts of moorland restoration on diversity and distribution of plant growth promoting root symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi and associated nitrogen cycling bacterial/archaeal communities in the Southern Pennines. Project partners Robin Sen (PI), Dr. Simon Caporn, Dr. David Elliott, Dr. Patricia Linton, Dr. James Rowson, Graham Smith and Dr. Jianquan Cheng (2010-2011 - Funding from Moors for the Future Partnership and Yorkshire Peat Partnership and MMU RAE2008 allocation).
  • Do tree host species affect arbuscular mycorrhizal community composition in tropical rain forests? Project partner: Dr. Francis Brearley (PI) (2009-2010 - Funding from CNRS, France Nouragues Research Grants Program and MMU via RAE2008 allocation).
  • What contribution do fungi and bacteria make to soil respiration in drylands?. Project Partners: Dr. Andrew Thomas (PI), Dr. Steve Hoon, Dr. Andrew Stott (CEH Lancaster) (2011-2013 - Funding from Leverhulme Trust).

  Selected Publications

  Veresoglou, S.D., Shaw, L. J., Hooker, J.E. and Sen, R. (2012). Arbuscular mycorrhizal modulation of diazotrophic and denitrifying microbial communities in the (mycor)-rhizosphere of Plantago lanceolata. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 58: 78-81.

  Veresoglou, S.D., Sen, R., Mamolos, A.P. & Veresoglou, D.S. (2011). Plant species identity and arbuscular mycorrhizal status modulate potential nitrification rates in nitrogen-limited grassland soils. Journal of Ecology 99: 1339-1349.

  Veresoglou, S.D., Voulgari, O.K. Sen, R. , Mamolos, A.P. & Veresoglou, D.S. (2011). Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil pH-plant productivity relationships in two upland grasslands in northern Greece. Pedosphere 21: 750-752.

  Veresoglou, S.D., Mamolos, A.P. Thornton, B., Voulgari, O. K., Sen, R. & Veresoglou, D.S. (2011). Medium-term fertilization of grassland plant communities masks plant species-linked effects on soil microbial community structure. Plant and Soil 344: 187-196.

  Veresoglou, S.D., Shaw, L. J. & Sen, R. (2011). Glomus intraradices and Gigaspora margarita arbuscular mycorrhizal associations differentially affect nitrogen and potassium nutrition of Plantago lanceolata in a low fertility dune soil. Plant and Soil 340: 481-490.

  Oddsdottir, E.S., Nielsen, C., Sen, R., Harding, S., Eilenberg, J. & Halldorsson, G. (2010). Distribution patterns of entomopathogenic fungi in soil and birch symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi across native woodland and degraded habitats in Iceland. Icelandic Agricultural Sciences 23: 37-49.

  Oddsdottir, E.S., Eilenberg, J., Sen, R. Harding, S & Halldorsson, G. (2010). Early reduction of Otiorhynchus spp. larval root herbivory of Betula pubescens by beneficial soil fungi. Applied Soil Ecology 45: 168-174.

  Sen, R. (2010). In Memoriam of Gopi Krishna Podila. Journal of Plant Interactions 5:159-162 / Mycorrhiza 20: 361-363.

  Abarenkov, K., Nilsson, H., Larsson K.-H., Alexander, I.J., Eberhardt, U, Erland, S, Høiland, K., Kjøller, R, Larsson, E.,Pennanen, T., Sen, R., Taylor, A.F.S., Tedersoo, L., Ursing, B.M., Vrålstad, T., Liimatainen, K., Peintner, U., Kõljalg, U. (2010).The UNITE database for molecular identification of fungi - recent updates and future perspectives. New Phytologist 186: 281-284.

  Oddsdottir, E.S., Eilenberg, J., Sen, R. & Halldorsson, G. (2010). The effects of insect pathogenic soil fungi and ectomycorrhizal inoculation of birch seedlings on the survival of Otiorhyncus larvae. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 12: 319-324.

  Cullen, R., Langan, M. & Sen, R. (2009). Using learner response systems for ecological fieldwork. HEA Centre for Bioscience Bulletin 26: 6-7.

  Heinonsalo, J. & Sen, R. (2007). Scots pine ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum potential and dynamics in podzol-specific humus, eluvial and illuvial horizons one and four growth seasons after forest clear-cut logging. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37: 404-414. 

  Kaparakis, G. & Sen, R. (2006). Bi-nucleate Rhizoctonia (Ceratorhiza spp.) induce adventitious root formation in hypocotyl cuttings of Pinus sylvestris L. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 21: 444-449.

  Juuti, J., Jokela, S., Paulin, L., Timonen, S. & Sen, R. (2004). Suillus bovinus glutamine synthetase gene organisation, transcription and enzyme activities in the Scots pine mycorrhizosphere developed on forest humus. New Phytologist 164: 389-399

  Kõljalg U., Larsson, K.-H., Abarenkov, K., Nilsson, H.R., Alexander, I.J., Eberhardt, U., Erland, S., Kjøller, R., Larsson, E., Pennanen, T., Sen, R., Taylor, A.F.S., Vrålstad, T., Tedersoo, L., & Ursing, B.M. (2005). UNITE - a database providing web-based methods for the molecular identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi. New Phytologist 166: 1063-1068

  Sen, R. (2005). Towards a multifunctional rhizosphere concept: back to the future? New Phytologist 168, 266-268.

  Moora, M., Öpik, M., Sen, R. & Zobel, M. (2004). Native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities differentially influence the seedling performance of rare and common Pulsatilla spp. Functional Ecology 18: 554-562

  Hoffland, E., Kuyper, T., Wallander, H., Plassard, C., Gorbushina, A., Haselwandter, K., Holmström, S., Landeweert, R., Lundström, U., Rosling, A., Sen, R., Smits, M., van Hees, P. & van Breemen, N. (2004). The role of fungi in weathering. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2: 258-264

  Sen, R. (2003). The root-microbe-soil interface: new tools for sustainable plant production. New Phytologist 157: 391-394

  Heinonsalo, J., Hurme, K.-R. and Sen, R. (2004). Recent 14C-labelled assimilate allocation to Scots pine seedling root and mycorrhizosphere compartments developed on reconstructed podzol humus, E-and B-mineral horizons. Plant and Soil 259:111-121

  Öpik, M., Moora, M., Liira, J., Kõljalg, U., Zobel, M. and Sen, R. (2003). Divergent arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities colonize roots of Pulsatilla spp. in boreal Scots pine forest and grassland soils. New Phytologist 160: 581-593

  Bomberg, M., Jurgens, G., Saano, A., Sen, R. and Timonen, S. (2003). Nested PCR detection of Archaea in defined compartments of pine mycorrhizospheres developed on boreal forest humus microcosms. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 43: 163-171