Natasha Louise de Vere

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Associate Professor & Curator of Botany, Head of Section for Botany

My research focuses on the interconnected global challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and human health and well-being, with three research themes.

• Plant-pollinator interactions and their resilience to global change.
• Plant diversity and conservation.
• Links between biodiversity and human health and well-being.

I use a combination of eDNA (especially DNA metabarcoding) and genomic analyses, fieldwork and specimens from herbaria and museums. I want to fuse museomics with AI to unlock the full potential of herbarium and museum collections for global change research. 

My current research projects focus on:

• The impact of climate change on plant-pollinator interactions and plant diversity in Arctic and Alpine ecosystems.
• The impacts of horticultural and agricultural landscapes on plant-pollinator interactions.
• The use of eDNA to understand above and below-ground grassland community composition and ecosystem processes.

As Curator of Botany, I am responsible for the 1.4 million vascular plant specimens within Herbarium C and the living collection of plants within the Botanical Garden. 

Public engagement with science is a key part of my work, especially using art-science to explore scientific ideas. I am Lead Curator of the Biodiversity Gallery, one of the permanent galleries within the new Natural History Museum of Denmark.

I am passionate about the social role of Museums and Botanic Gardens and have led two major, interdisciplinary projects, dedicated to increasing the health and well-being of people, biodiversity and the environment.