Dr Jonathan Ball

About me:

I joined Exeter University from AstraZeneca as part of the Zebrafish Research team in May 2014.

I have considerable experience of environmental toxicology from my Ph.D and post-doctoral research on the effects of Ethinyl oestradiol on gene expression and sexual development of the Zebrafish, and investigating the effects of environmental pollutants on a range of fish species, respectively.

For 7 years I have worked in external commercial industry using the Zebrafish as a toxicity model with 5 years based at Brixham Environmental research Laboratories working for AstraZeneca. At AstraZeneca I was the technical lead for non-mammalian alternatives for the assessment of Developmental Toxicology. Recognized as an industry expert and the industry technical lead for an international consortium of five leading pharmaceutical companies (AZ, Pfizer, BMS, Amgen and Abbott), who joined forces to standardise the Zebrafish Developmental toxicity assay.

Initiated and led the training of technical experts across the consortia. Supporting a new research collaboration to identify novel complimentary techniques using the Zebrafish model, to extend its application and to encourage wider acceptance and usage within industry. Use my knowledge and expertise to support research colleagues in the development of other novel zebrafish assays for the assessment of human safety.

• Zebrafish
• Developmental toxicity
• Environmental safety
• Human safety

• Developmental biology
• Zebrafish
• Drug safety
• Alternative models

1996-2000 B.Sc., Biochemistry, Cardiff University
2000-2004 Ph.D., Biology, Exeter University

2004-2007: Research technician, University of Exeter

2007-2009: Research Scientist Summit Plc

2009-2014: Research Scientist Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) specialist
Brixham Environmental Laboratory, AstraZeneca

2014-Present: Research Fellow, University of Exeter