Dr Jeremy Burdon has contributed significantly to the area of coevolutionary biology of plants and pathogens in natural communities. His pioneering work has focused on the numeric and genetic dynamics of the interactions, studying spatial and temporal patterns in resistance and virulence; genetic relationships between resistance genes; and the effects of genetic drift, migration, and recombination on pathogen populations. This major contribution to our understanding of the complexities of gene-for-gene coevolution and the role of pathogens in population and community dynamics has important implications for the conservation of genetic resources; weed management; and the use of resistance genes in agriculture.