Biology

The Biology department at Queen Mary focusses on ecological, evolutionary and developmental processes, at the scale of DNA up to ecosystems. We have particular research strengths in Evolution and Development, and in Community Ecology and Ecosystems, and we teach in these areas at Foundation, BSc, MSc and PhD levels.

Research

Evolution and Development

We are working to understand the genetic, evolutionary and functional changes that underpin population structure, adaptation, development and behaviour. For this we combine a variety of methodological approaches, from high-throughput sequencing and microscopy to computer modeling.

The impact of our research includes: the conservation management of loggerhead turtles in Cape Verde; the development of policy to reduce the spread of disease in wild plants, especially of ash dieback, acute oak decline and emerald ash borer; the localization of disease hotspots that can be used to target health interventions; and the establishment of a new National Park in Tanzania.

Learn more about our sub themes Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics and Invertebrate Neurobiology and Development at the bottom of the page.

Community Ecology and Ecosystems

We study the organisation and function of ecosystems, both in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Our research covers a broad range of scales, from individuals and populations, to communities and global biogeochemical cycles. We employ multi-disciplinary approaches that include metagenomics, mass spectrometry, field ecology and theoretical modeling.

The impact of our research includes: work to measure the effectiveness of Glastir Advanced, a location-targeted, cost-effective sustainable land management scheme in Wales; development of a new UK River Invertebrate Classification Tool (RICT), now being used by the Scottish government to manage sediment pollution, and; the development of Typical Length (TyL) indicator, to underpin an “ecosystem approach” to fisheries management.

Learn more about our sub themes Animal Networks and Ecology and Invertebrate Molecular Microbial Ecology below.

T&R staff

Name	Position	Department	Research subgroup	Interests
Buggs, Prof. Richard	Professor of Evolutionary Genomics	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Tree, Genomics, Ash Dieback, Evolution, Ecology, Genetics
Clare, Dr Elizabeth	Senior Lecturer	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Ecological Genomics, Molecular Food Webs, Bats, Mammals, Systematics, Species Interactions
de Mendoza, Dr Alex	Lecturer In Bioinformatics (T&R)	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Evolution, Genetics, Epigenetics, Comparative Genomics, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics
dos Reis Barros, Dr Mario	Senior Lecturer, Nanchang Joint Programme	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Computational biology, Evolution, Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics, Population Genetics
Eizaguirre, Dr Christophe	Reader, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Aquatic Ecology, Climate Change, Conservation Genetics, Evolutionary Ecology, Fish, Marine Turtles
Elphick, Prof. Maurice	Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Physiology, Neuroscience, Evolution, Neuropeptide, Echinoderm, Cannabinoid
Eyice-Broadbent, Dr Ozge	Lecturer in Molecular Microbial Ecology	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Microbial ecology - Biogeochemistry - Ecosystem function - Microbial diversity
Frantz, Dr Laurent	Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics/Informatics (on the Nanchang Joint Programme)	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Evolution, Genetics, Speciation, Domestication
Henry, Dr Lee	Senior Lecturer	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Bacterial symbiosis, Insect ecology and evolution, Evolutionary genetics, Molecular evolution, Adaptation, Microbial ecology
Hurd, Dr Paul	Senior Lecturer in Epigenetics	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Phenotype, Environment
Jones, Dr Iwan	Head of the River Communities Group	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Freshwater Ecology, Community Structure, Food Webs, Invertabrates, Algae, Plants
Knell, Dr Robert	Reader in Evolutionary Ecology	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Ecology, Evolution, Infectious Disease, Parasite, Immunity, Sexual Selection
Kratina, Dr Pavel	Senior Lecturer in Ecology	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Aquatic Ecology, Food Webs, Climate Change, Ecosystem Function, Conservation, Evolutionary Ecology
Leitch, Prof. Andrew	Professor of Plant Genetics	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Polyploidy, Cytogenetics, Plant Genomics, Stoichiogenomics, Nicotiana, Ecology, Evolution
Martin-Duran, Dr Chema	Senior Lecturer in Organismal Biology	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Evolution, Developmental Biology, Animal Development
Nichols, Prof. Richard	Professor of Evolutionary Genetics	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Genetics, Evolution, Virology, Genomics
Rossberg, Dr Axel	Reader in Theoretical Ecology	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Aquatic - ecology - Biodiversity - Community structure - Food webs - Conservation - Spatial patterns - Mathematical models
Rossiter, Prof. Stephen	Professor, Head of Biology Department	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Evolution, Ecology, Genomics, Genetics, Mammals, Bats
Schofield, Dr Gail	Lecturer in Aquatic Ecology	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Animal Movement, Behavioural Ecology, Population Ecology, Science-based Management, Conservation, Anthropogenic Disturbance, Climate Change
Stollewerk, Dr Angelika	Reader in Evolutionary Developmental Biology	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Neurobiology, Evolution, Arthropods, Neurogenesis, Neural Precursor Identity
Trimmer, Prof Mark	Professor of Biogeochemistry, Director of Research	Biology	Microbial and Network Ecology	Aquatic Ecology, Climate Change, Stable Isotopes, Ecosystem Function, Marine, Biochemistry
Wurm, Dr Yannick	Reader in Evolutionary Genomics and Bioinformatics	Biology	Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics	Ants, Genomics, Evolution, Sociality, Behaviour

T&S staff 

Name	Position	Department	Subgroup	Interests
Faulkes, Dr Chris	Reader in Evolutionary Ecology, Chair of Biology & Biochemistry Exam Board, SBCS Foundation Programme coordinator	Biology	T&S Group	African Mole-rats, Naked Mole-rat, Social Evolution, Comparative Sociogenomics, Rodent Phylogeography, Social Suppression of Reproduction
Faulkner, Dr Sally	Lecturer	Biology	T&S Group	Conservation Biology, Wildlife Crime, Human-wildlife Conflict, The Illegal Wildlife Trade
Hone, Dr David	Senior Lecturer and Director of Biological Sciences Programmes	Biology	T&S Group	Fossils, Paleontology, Ecology, Behaviour, Sexual Selection, Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Archosaurs, Predator-Prey Interactions, Body Size
Littlefair, Dr Joanne	Lecturer in Biological Sciences	Biology	T&S Group	Bioinformatics, Genetics, Ecology