Pollen allergens: Are plants trying to kill us?
Here's the good news. They’re not.
Pollen allergies have long been a major pandemic health problem for humans. Asthma and allergic rhinitis, the most common issues. How annoying is all that sneezing, wheezing and itchy and watery eyes?
Plant molecular geneticist Deborah Devis is investigating the evolutionary events and biological function of pollen allergens in plants. She’s finding that pollen isn’t out to ‘get us humans’, it plays a vital role in the reproductive process.
Deborah, from the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, is predicting how grasses use pollen proteins in her PhD research.
Read the ScienceNews article about the science behind pollen allergens and how it’s crucial for plant health.