Research Staff at the National Botanic Gardens

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Dr Colin Kelleher

Taxonomist & Keeper of the Herbarium

Contact +353 1 804 0326 or colin.kelleher@opw.ie

Colin received a PhD from Trinity College Dublin in 2002, an MSc in Ecology from University of North Wales in 1997 and a BSc from University College Dublin in 1995. For his PhD he researched the phylogeography and genetic diversity of oak in Ireland. This was the first comprehensive molecular study of genetic diversity in plant populations in Ireland. Following from his work in Ireland, Colin worked as a Research Associate in the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. There he worked on the project to sequence and assemble the first tree genome – the poplar genome. On returning to Ireland he joined the NBG and established the DBN Plant Molecular Laboratory. His work focuses on development and application of molecular markers in natural populations of plants to establish phylogeographic patterns and to assess genetic diversity. He also has considerable experience as an independent researcher and an Environmental Consultant.

Research Interests:

See Colin Kelleher’s ResearchGate profile.

Follow the herbarium on Twitter @DBNherbariumOPW

Dr Matthew Jebb

Director of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland

Contact +353 1 804 0301 or matthew.jebb@opw.ie

Matthew Jebb undertook his primary degree and DPhil at Oxford University. His PhD looked at the taxonomy and tuber morphology of the rubiaceous ant-plants. Following a five-year appointment as Director of the Christensen Research Institute at Madang, Papua New Guinea, Matthew took up a two-year post-doctoral position at Trinity College Dublin. This work involved preparation of a revision of the Araliaceae for the Flora of Thailand project. Matthew has revised the family Nepenthaceae for Flora Malesiana.

Research Interests:

See Matthew Jebb’s ResearchGate profile

Dr Christina Campbell

Botanist

Contact +353 1 804 0312 or christina.campbell@opw.ie

Christina Campbell obtained a BSc in Environmental Biology from University College Dublin and an MSc in Ecosystem Conservation and Landscape Management from National University of Ireland, Galway. She completed her PhD on the conservation of selected rare and threatened bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) in 2013 which was co-supervised by Dr Daniel Kelly of Trinity College Dublin and Dr Noeleen Smyth of the National Botanic Gardens. Before joining the National Botanic Gardens staff, Christina worked for the National Parks and Wildlife Service and also with BEC Consultants.

Research Interests:

  • Herbarium and Economic Botany collections at DBN
  • Ex situconservation, including the National Seed Bank
  • Conservation of rare and threatened bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), including Ditrichum cornubicum 

See Christina Campbell’s ResearchGate profile.

Dr Wuu Kuang Soh

Botanist

Contact +353 1 804 0328 or wuu.soh@opw.ie

Wuu Kuang completed his PhD at Trinity College Dublin on the systematics of the genus Syzygium. He also holds a primary degree in biology and a master degree in ecology from the University of Putra Malaysia. His research interest is broad and multidisciplinary, encompassing areas in plant systematics, ecology and ecophysiology with a major focus on global change. He was appointed plant taxonomist in KEP herbarium, Malaysia and then as a researcher at UNEP-WCMC, United Kingdom. After completing his PhD, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at University College Dublin. During this time, he investigated the ecological and physiological responses of vegetation to climate change. Wuu Kuang has undertaken taxonomic revisions of several plant groups such as Syzygium in Indochina, Cinnamomum in Borneo and Buxaceae in Thailand. He also has a keen interest in digitization and utilization of herbarium collections for research.

Research interests:

See Wuu Kuang Soh’s ResearchGate profile.

Dr Darren Rediy

Conservation Botanist

Contact darren.reidy@opw.ie

Darren was awarded a PhD in Applied Ecology & Plant Science from University College Cork in 2018. There he conducted research on the ecology, distribution & ecophysiology of aquatic invasive alien plant species in Ireland. He also holds a M.Sc. in Ecological Assessment and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Environmental Science & Ecology from UCC. His research interests focus on plant conservation, wetland ecology, invasive species, habitat restoration and nature-based solutions to global sustainability challenges. Darren has previously worked as an ecologist in the eNGO sector on large scale river catchment, coastal and upland restoration projects, a field studies instructor in Ireland’s National Parks, and extensively in the field of sustainability in higher education. His current work at the National Botanic Gardens includes the in-situ and ex-situ conservation of the Irish flora and the curation of the National Seed Bank as a resource for the conservation of Ireland’s threatened flora.

Research Interests:

  • Ex-situ conservation of Irish flora through seed banking
  • Biodiversity conservation & habitat restoration
  • Ecology & ecophysiology of invasive plant species in Ireland
  • Aquatic botany & the ecology of wetlands/aquatic environments
  • Nature-based solutions & transdisciplinary approaches to global sustainability challenges
  • Landscapes, natural heritage, & eco-literacy

See Darren Reidy’s ResearchGate profile.

Eva Dreyer

Herbarium Assistant

Contact eva.dreyer@opw.ie

Eva Dreyer graduated from her Bachelor’s degree in Botany at Trinity College Dublin in 2023. For her thesis she researched the dynamics, vegetation succession and plant communities of a young salt marsh in Co. Dublin. After her graduation she worked as a field botanist carrying out hedgerow surveys for Wicklow County Council before taking up her position as Herbarium Assistant, where she assists in the curation, maintenance and digitisation of the National Herbarium collection.

Interests:

  • Herbaria, including herbarium-based research, botanical history and collections management
  • Plant ecology, field botany and the Irish flora
  • Plant biogeography and systematics

Dr Darach Lupton

Curator of Living Collections

Contact: darach.lupton@opw.ie

Darach Lupton graduated from the School of Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland in 1998; including his placement year at the RHS Garden, Wisley (1996-1997). He then went on to read Botany at Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 2002. He remained at TCD were he completed his PhD. in 2007. From 2007 – 2010 was back at the NBG of Ireland working in the herbarium as research botanist. In early 2011 he moved to the Sultanate of Oman, where for 10-years he managed the department of Botany and Conservation at the Oman Botanic Garden. Darach returned to Dublin in early 2021. He is currently the Curator of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland.

Interests:

  • The flora of Oman
  • Ethnobotany of Oman
  • Conservation Horticulture

Affiliations:

  • PlantNetwork
  • European Botanic Garden Consortium
  • International Conifer Conservation Programme
  • University of Dublin, Trinity College.

See Darach Lupton’s Research Gate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Darach-Lupton-2/research)
See Darach Lupton’s LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/darachlupton/)