Professor Rod Wilson

About me:

I am a comparative physiologist and my research uses multi-disciplinary approaches, from transcriptomics to social behaviour to global modelling, to provide a more holistic understanding of how animals deal with environmental change, with a particular focus upon aquatic animals (fish and invertebrates). This includes studies of how variability both natural and anthropogenic (e.g. climate change, aquaculture, pollution) impacts upon physiology and behaviour, but also the reverse process - how animal physiology can influence the global environment, for example how marine fish affect ocean biogeochemical cyles. I am Academic Lead for the 15 academics and their teams within the Environmental Biology research theme in Biosciences.

My research area covers comparative and integrative physiology, specifically the mechanisms by which animals respond to environmental variation to maintain internal balance (homeostasis). In particular my focus is upon respiratory processes, ion, water and acid-base balance, waste excretion, and how the underlying mechanisms for each system are integrated with each other and with behaviour, and how they are disturbed under the influence of environmental deviations from the norm. I use fish and invertebrates as model organisms, and techniques ranging from molecular genetics to in vivo physiology, combined with behaviour in the lab and in the wild, and even modelling of how fish populations affect global biogeochemical cycles and ocean chemistry. My multi-disciplinary approach aims to provide a more holistic understanding of homeostasis in animals.

1985-1989 PhD in Fish Physiology and Ecotoxicology, University of Birmingham
1982-1985 BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham

2016-present Professor of Integrative Animal Physiology, Biosciences, CLES, University of Exeter

2009-2016 Associate Professor, Biosciences, CLES, University of Exeter

2000-2009 Senior Lecturer, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter

1993-1995 Wellcome Trust RA, School of Biosciences, University of Manchester

1990-1992 NSERC RA, Department of Biology, McMaster University, Canada

1989-1990 NERC RA, Department of Physiology, University of Birmingham

To help my university to address the declared climate and environment emergency I have committed to reduce my work based flights by at least 50% and I am working with my research group to reduce energy use in our offices and laboratories.