The research priorities in the Department of Biology spans three interlinked themes: Ecology, Genetics and Biomedical Science.
Ecology research priorities into forest adaptations to climate change, mitigating impacts of habitat change on biodiversity, conservation of species in rare habitats. Projects use plants, invertebrates and amphibians to explore how to sustainably manage grasslands and forests in different contexts across the globe.
Genetics and evolution research priorities include insect vectors of disease, plant evolution, divergent eukaryotic stress response mechanisms, soil microbiology and antibiotic discovery.
Biomedical Science research priorities include regulation of cell signalling in cancer and degenerative conditions, endocrine hormone expression, gene expression in specialised tissues involved in diseases of the brain, eye, skin, and others with translational potential to rare skin diseases, pregnancy complications, age-related conditions, wound healing, gene therapies and nanotherapeutics.
Across these biological sub-disciplines, we collaborate with researchers from around the Globe as well within Edge Hill University, utilising cutting-edge technologies. Take a look at our individual staff pages to find out more about our research specialisms and current projects.
We offer both PhD and MRes (Masters by Research) opportunities across these research themes. Please direct initial enquiries about proposed projects to the lead supervisor or to our Research Degree contact for Biological Sciences:
Enhancing biodiversity in plantations through sustainable management approaches with Dr Anne Oxbrough
The value of forest canopies for invertebrate conservation with Dr Anne Oxbrough
Landscape genomics of the West Canary skinks with Dr Marcio Pie
Grassland species Connectivity in the UK landscape with Professor Paul Ashton
The Honduran Fern Flora Project – how taxonomy can help to plan for better conservation strategies with Dr Sven Batke
Epiphytes in Brazil – understanding large scale biodiversity patterns with Dr Sven Batke
Determination of mosquito pollination potential and nectar feeding behaviour using eDNA and electron microscopy with Dr Thom Dallimore
Genetics and evolution
Finding the unfindable. Can we census vertebrate populations in the tropics using fly poo DNA? with Dr Thom Dallimore
Atypical stress response mechanisms in the early branching eukaryote Trypanosoma brucei with Dr C-P Ooi
Characterisation of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters from Actinomycetes using molecular genetics and synthetic biology with Dr Lorena Fernández-Martínez
Study of ecology and or evolution of Actinomycetes in soil microbial communities with Dr Lorena Fernández-Martínez
Epigenetic variation in an ecological context with Professor Paul Ashton
Biomedical science: new therapies for diseases
Investigation of the pathophysiology of ochronotic pigmentation in alkaptonuria with Dr Jayne Charnock
Investigating strategies to stimulate inflammatory cell clearance of bacteria during hormone-driven ageing with Dr Mohamed El Mohtadi
Stimulating host-pathogen interactions in vitro with Dr Mohamed El Mohtadi
Moving towards human 3D modelling void of animal-sourced components and media with Dr Katja Eckl
Modulation of cell survival in cancer via the PERP route with Professor Luminita Paraoan.
Understanding how and why vision declines with ageing. What can we do? with Professor Luminita Paraoan.
Novel therapies for neurological diseases (e.g. ischaemic stroke, childhood brain cancers, dementia) with Dr Adjanie Patabendige
Understanding blood-brain barrier disruption in CNS disease with Dr Adjanie Patabendige
MRes projects
Ecology
Utilising a genetic approach to understand the population dynamics of the southern wood ant (Formica rufa) at its northern extreme with Dr Thom Dallimore
Determination of mosquito pollination potential and nectar feeding behaviour using eDNA and electron microscopy with Dr Thom Dallimore
Developing an early warning system for flood water mosquito hot-spots using eDNA metabarcoding with Dr Thom Dallimore
The Honduran Fern Flora Project – how taxonomy can help to plan for better conservation strategies with Dr Sven Batke
Using silvo-pasture systems to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes with Dr Anne Oxbrough
Restoring biodiversity on peatlands with Dr Anne Oxbrough
Genetics and evolution
Characterisation of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters from Actinomycetes using molecular genetics and synthetic biology with Dr Lorena Fernández-Martínez
Study of ecology and or evolution of Actinomycetes in soil microbial communities with Dr Lorena Fernández-Martínez
Genetic variation and connectivity in Juniper Professor Paul Ashton
Host immune responses to parasite infection Dr C-P Ooi
Biomedical science: new therapies for diseases
Understanding the pathophysiology of stroke with Dr Adjanie Patabendige
CNS drug screening with Dr Adjanie Patabendige
Modelling blood-brain barrier disruption with Dr Adjanie Patabendige
Understanding how and why vision declines with ageing with Professor Luminita Paraoan.
Understanding how cancer cells survive with Professor Luminita Paraoan
