Lesley Torrance

Lesley is Director of Science and leads the delivery of the RESAS Strategic Research Programme and Underpinning Capacity; she also leads on their partnerships with the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews. She oversees the Ecological Sciences (ES) and Cell and Molecular Sciences (CMS) departments.

Lesley’s research interests are in plant virology and more broadly in strengthening potato production systems in sub-Saharan Africa and research links with NWAFU China. She continues her research through her joint position as Professor of Biology at the University of St Andrews. Prior to her current role, Lesley was leader of the Institute's CMS group. She was President of the British Society for Plant Pathology (BSPP) in 2014.