I am a molecular ecologist and my research focuses on genetics and diseases in marine ecosystems, which have the potential to alter ocean life, and the coastal communities that rely upon it. I am currently Project Manager and Fisheries Research Officer for a European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) project, 'Atlantic Herring Studies in the Bristol Channel and Wales'. I also co-lead CatcH and Release Tag (CHART) Cymru, a recreational sports fishery and scientific data collection programme for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Welsh waters. Previously, I worked on the SEACAMS2 and BlueFish projects as a Research Officer. My work incorporates molecular techniques and fieldwork to investigate disease connectivity in the aquatic environment. This includes the ability to ‘track’ pathogens in the water column and into the host using eDNA approaches.
Prior to my current institution, I was awarded a postdoctoral scholarship at the Reef Systems Unit, part of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where I studied the Caribbean spiny lobster. I investigated the relationship between habitat ecology and disease, including influences of vegetation, reef and biodiversity of invertebrate species. My PhD at Swansea University, UK, aimed to discover more about the diseases which affect the European lobster and brown (edible) crab. In particular, I was interested in disease susceptibility, the effects of invasive species and how the implementation of Marine Conservation Zones may affect population health. I love to travel and have incorporated this into my studies, with collaborations in the USA, Canada, Mexico and nationally in the UK. If you wish to talk further about my work, or have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch. |