Overview

My research focuses on adaptation and acclimation in animals exposed to environmental change. Specifically I am driven by the question of how a mechanistic understanding of animal physiology can be used to improve the productivity and sustainability of aquaculture in a wide range of production settings. This also extends to understanding how aquaculture can be used to help secure future marine ecosystems in the face of climate change impacts. During my career I have developed an interdisciplinary range of expertise in animal physiology, immunology, metabolomics, developmental biology, ecotoxicology, marine chemistry, climate change ecology and aquaculture.

Broad research specialisms

Physiology, host-pathogen interactions, marine invertebrates, climate change, ocean acidification, sustainable aquaculture, aquaculture ecosystems

Qualifications

2013 PhD Ecological Physiology, University of Plymouth

2007 BSc Marine Biology, University of Plymouth

Career

2021 - present Senior Lecturer, Biosciences, University of Exeter

2018 – 2021 Proleptic Lecturer, Biosciences, University of Exeter

2018 – 2021 NERC Industrial Innovation Fellow, University of Exeter

2015 – 2017 BBSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Exeter

2014 – 2015 Senior Research Scientist, PML Applications, Plymouth

2012 – 2014 NERC Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Exeter

Research group links

• Environmental Biology

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Research

Research interests

I am an integrative ecological physiologist with a keen interest in how organisms adapt to an ever changing environment, natural or man-made. In particular, I am interested in how stressors such as pollution, high pCO2 and temperature interact to affect an organism’s physiology and disease resistance. My research to date has thus focused on four main themes: 1) the impact of environmental change on early invertebrate development, 2) the trade-off between disease resistance and physiological functioning, 3) the consequences of changing seawater chemistry and increasing temperature for commercially important marine invertebrate and finfish species and 4) the optimization of intensive aquaculture practices, using organism physiology to inform system management and improve sustainability. Sitting at the juncture of two critically important but traditionally disparate fields my research therefore addresses two of the greatest challenges facing society in the 21st century.

Research projects

NERC Industrial Innovation Fellowship – ‘Flexing your mussels: Futureproofing shellfish aquaculture in the face of global climate change’,

During this project I will employ next-generation sequencing technology to develop a high-density genotyping tool (SNP array) for blue mussels, the largest aquaculture sector (36% of total volume) in the EU. By employing this technology alongside measures of whole organism physiology, I will address the overarching question does hybridisation confer an advantage to multi-stressor exposures in a commercially and globally important bivalve species? Providing a unique, industry-relevant, resource this project will also significantly advance understanding of selective breeding and enhance the sustainable development of mussel aquaculture in the 21st century. This fellowship partners with Dr Ross Houston (Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh), Dr Anne Todgham (UC Davis, California) and Dr Mauricio Urbina (University of Concepcion, Chile), as well as John Holmyard (Offshore Shellfish, Brixham) and Myles Blood-Smyth (The Exmouth Mussel Company). It will also develop new partnerships with mussel producers and academics across Europe, North America and Chile.

Research grants

2023 Seafood Innovation Fund – Follow-on R&D: ‘SeaMist: a high yielding, low impact land-based seaweed cultivation system’ (Co-I: 18 months; £166,873)

2022 UKRI Transforming Food Production: ‘Transformational blueprint for a blue economy on UK terrestrial farms: integrating sustainable shrimp production in a changing agricultural landscape’ (Co-I: 3 years; £2.47M)

2022 UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge 2nd call: ‘Caribbean spiny lobster – developing innovative fisheries management and aquaculture practices to sustain ecosystems and livelihoods’ (PI: 2 years; $250,000). Partnered with Cape Eleuthera Institute, the Bahamas and the National Lobster Hatchery, UK

2022 Seafood Innovation Fund – Feasibility study: ‘SeaMist: a high yielding, low impact land-based seaweed cultivation system’ (Co-I: 9 months; £42,016)

2022 Australian Research Council Discovery Project: ‘Some like it hot: invasive species, hybridization, and a warming ocean’. (Co-I: 3 years; AUS$ 603,516). Partnered with University of Queensland & Deakin University, Australia, University of Vermont, USA and University of Montpellier, France.

2021 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund: ‘Spiny Lobster: Community Driven Conservation’. (PI: 2 years; US$50,000). Partnered with Cape Eleuthera Institute, the Bahamas and the National Lobster Hatchery, UK

2020 NERC Global Partnership Seedcorn Fund: ‘A global partnership to understand the fate of native, invasive and hybrid mussels in a warming ocean’ (PI: 2 years: £93,993)

2019 European Maritime Fisheries Fund: ‘Developing genetic tools to support a sustainable UK spiny lobster fishery’ (Co-I: 1 year; £55,402)

2018 Natural Environment Research Council Industrial Innovation Fellowship - 'Flexing your mussels: Futureproofing shellfish aquaculture in the face of global climate change' (PI: 3.5 yrs; £531k)

2018 Royal Society Cost Share China program, partnered with Yellow Seas Fisheries Research Institute - 'Impacts of environmental factors on the growth of shrimp and virulence of important pathogens' (Co-I: 2 yrs; £12k)

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Publications

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Teaching

Modules

2023/24

• BIO3047 - Advanced Applications of Physiology
• BIOM554 - Advanced Applications of Physiology

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Supervision / Group

Postgraduate researchers

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