Biography
In 2012, I started as Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology at Edinburgh Napier University and in 2018 I was awarded the title of Associate Professor. I'm broadly interested in parasites and in particular in parasites of marine organisms including a whole range of invertebrates and fishes. My research approach involves traditional morphological and modern molecular techniques to understand the biodiversity, ecology and evolutionary history of parasitic organisms. Since I was a postdoc, a large part of my research focuses on the morphology and molecular phylogeny of gregarine apicomplexans and other protozoan parasites in marine invertebrates. At the moment I am starting to look into the utilization of gregarines as model organisms and also the role and impact of micro-eukaryotes in food webs.
- Teaching activities:
Module Leader for Life on Earth ENV07100 (since 2014), 1st year module with ~140 students
Module Leader for Practical Skills in Biodiversity and Ecology ENV08108 (since 2018), 2nd year module with ~70 students
Teaching on several modules including:
Fisheries Biology ENV10101
Symbiosis BMS08105
Marine Biology ENV09104
Population & Community Ecology ENV09103
Scientific Methods ENV11109
- Postgraduate supervision/co-supervision (ongoing)
Anna-Lotta Hiillos (PhD candidate since 2018) Microbiome-host interactions and developmental polymorphism. University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Co-supervision with E. Knott
Anna Osicka (MRes since 2016) Description of metazoan parasites of juvenile fish in Kenyan mangrove forests and investigation of various aspects of focal fish species ecology and life histories. Edinburgh Napier University, UK. Co-supervision with M. Huxham (DoS)
Caroline Wanjiru (PhD candidate since 2015) Exploring the fish community in a mangrove forest in Kenya utilizing different methods. Edinburgh Napier University, UK, based in Kenya. Co-supervision with M. Huxham (DoS)
Ian Martin (PhD candidate since 2013) Ecology, morphology and population structure of the mahseer, Tor putitora (Cyprinidae), in the Mahakali river, Western Nepal. Edinburgh Napier University, UK. Co-supervision with R. Briers (DoS)
- Postgraduate supervision/co-supervision (completed)
Alexander J. Kent (PhD completed in Oct 2018) Exploring the Causes of Red Vent Syndrome in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from Coastal Waters around Scotland. Edinburgh Napier University, UK. Co-supervision with R. Briers & K. Diele, ENU; C. Pert (External Supervisor, Marine Scotland Science, UK)
Jenny McLeish (PhD completed in Feb 2018) Non-native Bullhead in South-East Scotland: Molecular and morphological identification and parasite links with native fauna. Edinburgh Napier University, UK. Co-supervision with R. Briers
Natasha Nicholson (MSc complete in 2013) An investigation into the tolerance of Macrobiotus dispar and Hypsibius dujardini to biotic and xenobiotic heavy metals, and possible adaptive strategies to chemotoxic stress. Edinburgh Napier University, UK. Co-supervision with L. Gilpin (DoS)
- Undergraduate BSc project students
Emma Vincent-Cuaz (2017): A comparative study on the parasite fauna of Perca fluviatilis of Loch Ore (Scotland) and Lough Neagh (Northern Ireland).
Scott Taylor (2017): Comparison of health indices and parasitic fauna present in the two spawning populations of Scomber scombrus found in Scottish waters.
Jamie Bruce (2016): Analysing C. harengus from two sites to investigate, if parasites can be used as biological tags.
Remy Bailly (2016): Acute toxicity of an anti-parasitic veterinary drug on faucet snails (Bithynia tentaculata).
Shauna Baxter (2016): Using parasites found in Sprattus sprattus as biological indicators to compare environmental conditions of two sites located on the East and West Coast of Scotland: The North Sea and the North-East Atlantic.
George Race (2016): The individual and synergistic acute effects of zinc pyrithione and copper on the freshwater gastropod Bithynia tentaculata.
Delli Woodhead (2016): Parasite fauna of European perch, Perca fluviatilis in Lake Windermere, England and Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland.
Liam Scotcher (2015): Differences in the parasite fauna in Perca fluviatilis from two different locations and the possible use to determine ecosystem health.
Amy Ashe (2014): A comparison of the parasite fauna of common dab (Limanda limanda) from the Clyde Estuary and the North Sea.
- International placement students
Anja Alvestadt (2016 IAESTE) worked with former and current PhD students on parasites of invertebrates and nematodes of salmon.
Reeson Wong (2015 IAESTE) worked with former PhD student on invertebrate parasite and with myself on deep sea parasites.
Bonnie Bailet (2012 Université Aix Marseille work placement) worked with myself on gregarines infecting polychaetes.