Biography
Dr Joanna Kacprzyk is an Assistant Professor of Cell Biology at University College Dublin, where she leads a research group exploring how plant cells decide between life and death under abiotic stress. Her work focuses on the molecular regulation of programmed cell death (PCD) triggered by extreme heat and other environmental challenges, processes central to plant resilience in a changing climate. Using multidisciplinary approaches that integrate plant cell and tissue culture, cell biology, transcriptomics, proteomics, and plant physiology, her team generates insights that inform strategies for development of climate-adapted crops. Dr Kacprzyk is also passionate about improving plant appreciation in society and promoting botany as a discipline. She serves as Deputy Chair of the BSc in Plant Biology and Co-Chair of the MSc in Plant Biology and Biotechnology at UCD. Alongside her teaching, she promotes public engagement with plants through science communication and art-based projects for broader appreciation of the plant world.