Who we are

I am a plant ecologist with specific interests in plant-plant and plant-animal interactions at the community and population level. My research focuses on determining the key factors involved in these relationships and assessing how resilient are these links in changing environmental conditions.

Current research project

• Conserving Endangered rhinos in South Africa

Wetland plant community

I am particularly interested in dynamic ecosystems such as wet grasslands, riparian and coastal habitats. I have experience with wet grassland habitat management and assessing changes in response to different practices. Much of the focus of previous work has been on management and restoration of these habitats and  this has expanded to wetlands and across taxa through collaborative work.

Invasive Ecology

I am also interested in invasion ecology, focusing on Invasive Non-Native plant species and understanding their influence and impacts on associated habitat and species. INNS competitive strategy and succes could be caused by the range of allelochemic released by the leaves or roots affecting neighbouring plants and their environment. I have started research projects examining the effects of sub-lethal exposure to allelochemical compounds released by Impatiens glandulifera on freshwater invertebrate and fish larvae development and behaviour. Similarly, I am interesting on the long-term impacts of Rhododendron ponticum allelopathy on soil microbial community.

My research interests lie within the subject area of remote sensing, but in particular environmental remote sensing. As the main subject of my PhD thesis, and research beyond, I am keenly interested in the role of remote sensing in vegetation studies and how removal or changes to vegetation can affect our environment. This has led me to research in the application and modelling of different technologies but mainly focusing on the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR).  I have been involved in lidar and radar work with emphasis on interferometry (InSAR) and polarimetry applications (PolInSAR) for both biomass and forest structure determination, and also for the investigation of Savanna and grassland dynamics within a wider framework of contributing to knowledge of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Working on this theme has involved integration into my research of radar systems such as Sentinel 1, ALOS PALSAR, UAVSAR, and lidar systems such as GLAS, LVIS, and GEDI. I’m interested in both multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing to complement my expertise in active remote sensing with recent collaborative research looking at the role of multispectral acquisitions from both satellite (Pleiades, World View, Landsat, Sentinel 2) and drone sensors (Parrot Sequoia) for the identification of plant species and health, and to enable mapping of animal foodscapes. My interests in hyperspectral mapping have enabled me to work closely with data such as from PRISMA and MODIS satellites to map ground cover and mineral composition on large spatial scales, and to identify hotspots in associated diseases such as Podoconiosis, and to conduct airborne and scanning research in the field of archaeology, investigating sediment deposits, and lichen coverage at Stonehenge.

In broader terms I am actively involved in climate change research related to landuse/landcover change, and the role of the terrestrial biosphere.  My work involves collaboration with international groups such as the Global Ecology Lab at the University of Maryland, Edinburgh Earth Observatory at the University of Edinburgh, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CEFAS at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. It also involves fruitful collaborations closer to home at the University of Brighton through my research centre, Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEObs), and my excellent team of PhD students working in settings such as Cameroon, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Nigeria, and the UK.  

I encourage those interested in collaborating on remote sensing themed research to feel free to contact me and to begin the process of conducting high impact science.

My principal research interest is in Nature Based Solutions, (coastal, estuarine and riverine), which embrace natural processes in order to provide long-term sustainable solutions to flood management problems. This encompasses a wide range of areas, including sediment dynamics, hydrodynamics, water management, geochemistry and blue-carbon.  My research is primarily field based where I design long and short-term monitoring programmes to enable in-depth understanding of hydraulic and sediment regimes.

On the coast and nearshore waters, my research is based around Nature Based solutions to flooding, habitat creation, pollution and carbon, which involves furthering the understanding of how the geomorphology and hydrodynamics of these sites evolve following breach. In terms of sustainability I work with very closely with ecologists investigating how previous land use, design and construction influence the development of these sites, which has a direct impact on the bio-diversity of these created systems, and which in the long-term influence the longevity and effectiveness of the designed coastal defence.  If you click on the ‘globe image’ below my profile picture you can listen to a recording of a lecture which I gave at the ICE Coastal Management Conference in 2019, where I explain how Coastal Managers can improve fish habitat. 

In-land I work with a number of local organisations on the re-wilding, restoration and management of rivers and catchments in order to reduce peak flood levels and improve water quality. This involves assessing the suitability of the removal of defunct structures, installing small scale, up-stream, water retarding structures and where possible reconnecting water with its flood plain. 

Both on the coast and inland I am working towards quantifying the effects of different types of intervention, through this I strive to do is provide designers, engineers and managers with a greater understanding of the environment so that they can work with nature to provide longer-term, more sustainable solutions.

The 'globe' looking icons below my image at the top of the screen will take to a selection of presentations I have given at conferences.

My research interests focus on the biological effects of various classes of aquatic environmental stressors, contaminants in particular, at cellular and molecular  level - functional ecotoxicology. The key challenge is to understand the mechanism of action of newly emerged contaminats (pharmaceuticals, microplastics, personal care products) that can negatively impact the health and physiology of marine organisms, and moreover, the potential for climate change to alter these responses.

Detoxification mechanisms and their use as biomarkers of environmental contamination (ie. metallothionein isoforms and expression levels, CYP450 and the glutathione systems) in marine invertebrates and fish.

Induction of DNA damage in critical growth regulating genes, such as the ras oncogene and p53 tumour suppressor gene, plus their role in development of a 'mutator phenotype' and genome instability.

Also, reproductive mechanisms of marine invertebrates and wonderful ways in which stressors (climatic or human induced, ie. pharmaceuticals, microplastics) interfere with sex determination/differentiation.

Andrew is interested in how spatial planning can help to deliver climate change adaptation and mitigation, manage coastal change and flooding, encourage integrated water management and regulate short term rentals such as AirBnB.

Through his private practice,  has contributed to government, government agency and research organisation projects on

- delivering integrated water management through planning

- flooding, including multiple objective SuDS and best practice in Strategic Flood Risk Assessments.

He has published articles and blogs in town planning journals and websites on flooding and coastal change in England and Portugal.

My research interests focus primarily around the ecology of aquatic organisms with a specialism in fish. I am interested in the effects that pollutants have on the physiology, morphology and behaviour or a range of aquatic species, including crustaceans, teleost and cartilaginous fish species. I am interested in outputs from any kind of human activity, including sewage treatment plants, aquaculture facilities, agricultural run-off, pharmaceuticals and microplastic pollution. I focus mainly on larval fish as the early life stages are the most vulnerable and this is where many of the effects occur. I am interested in the sub-lethal effects of exposure to contaminants, those which do not kill the fish, but may make them unfit for survival in the wild, for example through reduced swimming or foraging capability, which can hinder feeding and can make them more vulnerable to predation. More recently I have started research projects examining the effects of microplastics and nanoparticles on fish and larvae and marine and freshwater invertebrates. The focus of this is the use of microbeads and nanoparticles found in cosmetics and skincare products, especially sunscreens, and the impacts they have on developmental processes of fishes.

I am also interested in the behaviour of captive fish in response to visitors in public aquaria. This has focused around both teleost and elasmobranch species and will extend to examine other organisms. In addition to the behaviour I am also interested in the sexual dimorphism of sharks, specifically the skin ad electrorecptive organs. I work in collaboration with the Kwazulu Natal Sharks Boards, examining the sexual dimorphisms of the dermal denticles (scales) on the skin of sharks. This leads to insights into the mating behaviours of shark species, acts that have rarely been witnessed. I am also developing projects with both the Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authorities and Natural England to determine how electric cabling may affect the behaviour of elasmobranch species and their behaviour. My research interests provide exciting opportunities for final year projects for undergraduate students. Projects I have been and am currently involved in include following:

Development and behaviour of zebrafish larvae exposed to zinc oxide and titanium dioxide

Determination of microplastic translocation in the velvet swimming crab (Necora puber)

Behaviour of the green shore crab (Carcinus maenas) exposed to microplastic beads

Behaviour of cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) exposed to microplastic beads

Presence of microplastics in the sediments and biota of Chichester Harbour

Ability of archerfish (Toxotes chatareus) to learn new feeding behaviours

Contribution of aquaria in the conservation of rare and endangered species

Management and control of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

Investigating triggers for diapause egg production in Parvocalanus crassirostris

My research career to date has focused on the development of innovative low-cost tools that tackle pressing global disease problems. In Malawi, I worked on a UNICEF-funded project 'Assessment of Drinking Water Quality for Low-Cost Water Technology Options in Rural Areas' which led to the re-design and improved management of rural wells, providing low-income communities with safer drinking water. More recently, I was involved in a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project in India 'SaniPath Typhoid' which sought to enhance understanding of typhoid transmission pathways in Kolkata’s megaslums.

In Europe, new methods developed during an EU Interreg-funded project 'RISKMANCHE' have helped identify human faecal contamination of rivers and established viral removal rates in a full-scale wastewater reuse systems (Thames Water). This information is helping water companies and environmental agencies to meet international standards and more effectively protect public health, by detecting, or interrupting the transmission routes of human waterborne diseases.

My research interests lie in seeking to bridge the disjuncture between climate change science, water resources management practice and local articulations and experiences of changing water environments. My work is critically engaged with understanding how developed economies organize and manage their freshwater resources with regards to transitioning towards sustainable futures in the context of climate change. At heart my research explores why climate change narratives are still failing to resonate with most citizens, and are still not embedded within organisational praxis, and seeks to determine what approaches may close these gaps in order to support transitions towards sustainable futures. Inherent to this line of questioning are explorations of emergent forms of citizenship, discourses of governance and the links between landscape, taskscape and community within the late capitalist era. I draw on the work of Karen Bakker, Noel Castree, Eric Swyngedouw, Neil Adger and Tim Ingold to undertake empirical qualitative fieldwork which interrogates the political, cultural and physical intersections which co-create our sense of place, and our intimate, immediate relationship with our water environments. Recent research projects have included 'Rewilding elders: understanding environmental activism during retirement'; 'WetlandLIFE: taking the bite out of wetlands'; 'Towards Hydrocitizenship' and 'Community water governance: understanding place and subjectivity'.

My research interests cover the geographies of sport and leisure. My doctoral research explored British cultures of adventure and the heroic masculinities associated with mountaineering. My more recent work is interested in the use, governance and regulation of public space for leisure and recreation, addressing issues such as access, property rights, citizenship and self-governance. Theoretically, my work cuts across human geography, sociology, politics, cultural studies, social history, sport studies and leisure theory. I employ a variety of theoretical tools to understand the spatial aspects of sport and leisure cultures - the spatial theories of Mikhail Bakhtin; Victor Turner's writings on liminality; gift theory; theories of affect; and, post-subcultural theories - and have contributed to the application of these approaches to empirical research in sport and leisure studies.

My current research interests include the social regulation of leisure in public space; countercultural sport; connecting people and communities through food and farming; and, the cultural heritage of waterscapes.

Methodologically, I specialise in qualitative and collaborative empirical methods and with Professor Neil Ravenscroft (University of Brighton) and Dr Niamh Moore (Edinburgh University) have developed the concept of ‘collaborative story spirals’ to describe a method of contextualised and situated biographical and narrative research; an approach that has been utilised in European heritage projects.

My research has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, European Union (Interreg Programme), and Political Studies Association.

My areas of interest include environmental pollution, especially water pollution. My research focus mainly on Water, Sanitation and Hygene (WASH) issues including, health-related water microbiology, microbial source tracking (MST), faecal sludge management,  waterborne disease control, water and sanitation safety plans, bathing water quality, water eutrophication and shellfish safety.

Dr. Catherine Kelly is a geographer with research interests in sustainability, tourism and wellbeing. Her lecturing, research and practices cross a range of these broad categories. Catherine's research areas have varied over her academic career - starting with rural geography, then moving into the field of heritage studies and then tourism (cultural, heritage, wellness and sustainable tourism specifically); with a more recent emphasis on the importance of 'blue spaces' for human wellbeing. She is interested in the importance of water-based 'therapeutic landscapes' for physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Catherine's research also looks at how wellbeing can be used to advocate for personal relationships with the coast and its stewardship/environmental conservation. She is interested in access to the sea - in physical, social and cultural terms. Since joining the School of Business and Law, Catherine is also interested in the role of the Blue Economy in tourism development and sustainable business practices.

Catherine's work on Blue Spaces has received widespread media attention resulting in interviews for the BBC, Guardian newspaper, Independent, and a range of high circulation magazines and podcasts. She is a regular invited speaker at public events and festivals in the UK and overseas. She sits on the newly created UK national Blue Space Forum for the Environment Agency.

I am interested in the delivery of drugs and particles to the nose and lungs, particularly the use of in vivo-reflective in vitro cell culture models of the airway epithelium; the barrier to drug absorption. This is a long-standing interest of mine; having worked on the Caco-2 cell culture model of the intestine, I was one of the first pharmaceutical scientists interested in developing a similar model of the nose and/or lung. I have used the 16HBE14o- cell line to study drug absorption, including the absorption of drugs from nanoparticles, and drug toxicity. More recently, our group has been studying the effect of mucus on airway drug absorption using two mucus-secreting cell lines (SPOC1 and UNCN3T) and also the effect of drugs and other chemicals on mucus secretion as a measure of irritancy https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.07.016. In addition, I am interested in the role of mucociliary clearance on airway drug delivery, particularly the effect of formulation variables, air pollution and other chemicals on this primary defence mechanism of the nose and lung DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.121054. This has led to general expertise in cellular toxicity https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.105022 which has been extended to studies of compounds found in processed water. I am also interested in the bioavailability of inhaled drugs in children and adults and how this can be optimised DOI: 10.1186/s13063-016-1437-7.

Examples of Current Projects

(1) A study of ultrafine particles in the atmosphere and their health effects. (PhD)

(2) Water Scarcity in the Southeast of England - Assessing the potential for resource augmentation through direct reuse. (PhD)

(3) The effect of nasal powders on nasal residence time using sheep tracheae to model

the nasal epithelium.

Examples of Previous Projects

(1) The use of in vitro models of the airway to investigate drug permeability and irritancy in the presence of mucus. (PhD)

(2) Effect of formulation variables on intranasal drugs used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. (PhD) 

My research forms three major strands: (i) iceberg-keel scouring processes; (ii) macro- and microscopic sediment deformation (glacial and periglacial); and (iii) reconstructing glacial processes/environments.  

I have played a key role in the conception, design and delivery of several collaborative research projects and I have been awarded internal and external funding for research to the value of ~£300K. I have been Principal Investigator (PI) on projects investigating: (1) iceberg-keel scouring in Antarctica, Canada, Greenland, The North Sea and Sweden; (2) the glacial history of the Khibiny Mountains, Arctic Russia; and (3) mapping and quantifying sedimentary and geological structures using the Metripol microscopic method. As PI I am currently preparing projects in, for example: (1) the impact of ice keel scouring on Arctic blue carbon stocks; (2) the micromorphology of periglacial ramparted depressions (pingos, palsas, lithalsas) in Norfolk; and (3) glacial contaminants and their role in downstream meltwater quality in Bolivia. In addition, I am involved with other projects such as glacial reconstruction in Greenland, and I am currently exploring glacial-related art-science collaborations. I have been primary supervisor of two University-funded PhD projects: (1) Assessing the genesis of periglacial ramparted depressions through a macroscopic and microscopic analysis of their internal structures’ (2017), and (2) ‘The last Fennoscandian Ice Sheet: A palaeo-glaciological reconstruction on the Kola Peninsula and Russian Lapland’ (2022).  

As part of these projects I collaborate with some of the world’s most highly esteemed Quaternary, glacial and sedimentology scientists from institutions such as the British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Brock University (Canada), Brunel University, C-CORE Research & Development (Canada), Kola Science Centre (Russia), Manchester Metropolitan University, Maynooth University, National University of Singapore, Norfolk Geodiversity Partnership, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Scott Polar Research Institute (University of Cambridge), University College Dublin, University College London and Universities of Aberdeen, Florida, Hertfordshire, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Stockholm. 

I have published papers in several high-impact, international, peer-reviewed journals in which I present, for the first time, a novel conceptual model illustrating the style and intensity of sediment deformation by iceberg-keel scouring in variable grain sizes. I have also published an article on ‘here’s why you should care about icebergs’ in The Conversation. In addition, I have presented my multidisciplinary research (and lead- and co-convened sessions) at many national and international conferences, workshops and research seminars such as the Arctic Science Meeting, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Ice Scour and Arctic Marine Pipelines workshop, International Conference on Permafrost, International Glaciological Society British Branch Meeting, International Micromorphology Symposium and the INQUA (International Union for Quaternary Research) Congress. I continue to develop my international research profile through roles such as journal peer reviewer; Editor for INQUA’s Quaternary Perspectives (2013-16); as an Advisory Board Member of INQUA’s TERPRO (Terrestrial Processes, Deposits and History) Commission (2015-present); and as an Editorial Board Member for the international open access journal Open Quaternary (2018-present).

I have a 5-year Diploma in Environmental Engineering (Technical university of Crete, Greece), a MSc in Freshwater Systems Science (University of Glasgow) and a PhD in Geography and Computing Sciences (University of Glasgow). MyPhD work embedded advancing Micro Electrical Mechanical Sensor (MEMS) technologies into the monitoring of sediment motion and combined several mathematical and electrical/mechanical engineering techniques during sensor development. I worked as a Research Associate in a NERC funded cooperation between Scottish Water (the largest water supplier in Scotland) and the University of Glasgow. I have also worked as Senior Hydromophologist for the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). 

I have developed a track-record of peer reviewed publications addressing fluvial hydraulics, sediment movement and purpose specific sensor development. I am  also interested in various aspects of Geomorphic Change Detection an particularly interested in comparing data from different sensing techniques across scales. I have extensive fieldwork experience and during my placement in SEPA I provided scientific input in a range of regulatory, river management and river restoration projects. My interests lie on the intersection between coarse grain sediment transport, reach scale river dynamics, advanced sensor development, advanced statistical and numerical modelling of multiphase environmental flows and data coherence analysis for geomorphological applications. There are three problems on which I am focusing my efforts at the moment:

Smart pebbles and what we can learn from them (in geomorphology)

During the last decade, many scientists developed and deployed ‘’smart- pebbles’’ in fluvial (and other rapidly changing) environments in an attempt to monitor sediment dynamics. In parallel, Inertial Measurements Units (IMUs) have been tested in laboratory experiments focusing mainly on fluvial single grain entrainments and sort-term motions (simulating either costal or river hydrodynamics). Although all the IMUs are in principle the same (an assembly of micro-accelerometer, micro-gyroscope and micro-compass), the parameters that affect the results range from the sensor’s electrical and physical characteristics to the filtering of the derived measurements and from the modelling of inertial kinematics to the transformation of those to a useful and informative piece of data. I try to understand a) the key error sources in IMU sensing and its realistic range of applicability, b) how to develop coherent error compensation strategies for taking measurements in natural environments c) how smart pebbles can inform the theoretical descriptions for fluvial sediment transport d) how we can upscale this information to enhance our risk assessments for the critical infrastructure exposed to geomorphic hazards.

Advanced topographic sensing and Geomorphic Change Detection

We experience a revolution in terms of how we acquire and analyse topographical data. The integration of GIS with advanced sensing equipment has made the modelling of landscapes easier than ever before. One of the best examples is the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for mapping, a technique that has increased the rate and decreased dramatically the cost of creating accurate topographical models. However, UAVs (but also other innovative techniques) come with a number of limitations that become more apparent when we attempt to compare different maps of the same area (over time) in order to quantify geomorphic change (Geomorphic Change Detection). The mapping becomes even more complicated when fluvial environments are investigated. I am interested in the margin of error that we have to account for when using those techniques and how that associates with the modelling/mapping of reach scale river processes.  

Coherence in river classification

Researchers and regulators often use a classification in order to distinguish between different river typologies or assign a quality/health score to a river environment. The methodologies behind this scoring vary significantly from purely qualitative to highly technical and quantitative. I am interested in quantifying the variability in the interpretation of those classifications. More specifically, I want to measure how sensitive are these scores to user bias, the type/complexity of the associated calculations and the complexity of the natural environment scored using Deep Learning techniques.

Increasing global water scarcity is producing numerous challenges to which practical technical solutions need to be developed and validated to ensure water availability at a desired quality. In response to this my research areas although technically diverse focus on treatment technologies for water and wastewater technologies that provide application solutions. My research career to date has focussed on the measurement and quantification of chemical free disinfection systems and design optimisation. More widely this includes the practical research and development into practical mercury alternatives to generating ultraviolet radiation for water treatment. Current research topics include water reuse applications in the UK and assosiated technologies for global application.

My research to date has focused on the development and application of innovative approaches to protect and improve water quality. Examples of research in partnership with the water industry includes the assessment of hydrometric monitoring data and catchment scale modelling approaches to predict the timing and location of pesticide peaks in surface waters; investigations into the removal efficacy of pathogenic viruses and surrogates (bacteriophages) through indirect potable reuse technology; assessment of the health risks associated with the augmentation of surface waters with reused water using quantitative microbial risk assessment approaches; development and application of microbial source tracking techniques and pollutant source apportionment models to determine sources and loads of pollutants entering aquatic environments and analysis and comparison of the pollution performance of water and sewerage companies in England.

 My main area of research interest is in the polymer materials and development of novel advanced materials for biomedical and environmental applications. My research group is a multi-disciplinary team with research interests in the development and characterisation of novel porous materials, hydrogels, (nano) composites and nanoparticle based materials. I focus on the development of functional materials for applications in the wound healing, tissue engineering, drug delivery and removing  contaminants from water.

 Specifically, my research areas include

• Synthesis of functional porous polymer gels, hybrid polymer-inorganic and nanocomposite materials

• Characterisation of soft porous materials

• Development of smart polymer systems

• Development of drug delivery systems

• Development of novel materials for contaminated water remediation.

Accepting PhD students

Collaborators Dr T. Abdullin, Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers and Peptides, https://kpfu.ru/eng/strau/laboratories/bioactive-polymers-and-peptides

Dr M Alavijeh, Pharmidex https://www.pharmidex.com

Previous research projects:

Development of the flow through bioreactor of 3D-structured bacteria for biodegradation of aromatic chloro-derivatives from contaminated water. (H2020-MSCA-IF grant)

Water and soil clean-up from mixed contaminants (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, WaSClean project).

Investigation of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress of PEGylated nanographeneusing rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) neuronal cell lines (Commonwealth scholarship).

Nanomaterials for practical use in remediation: Case study of mercury contamination in the lake Bylkyldak (The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan).

Immobilized noble metal nanoparticles as efficient flow through catalyst for “green” decomposition of chlorinated aromatic compounds (British Council Newton grant).

Controlled production and chemical modification of a variety of novel-carbons for specific end applications into the bio-organic field (FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES staff exchange programme ENSOR).

Novel smart materials for biomedical application (FP7-PEOPLE-RG grant - Bio-Smart).

Developing and evaluation of a quantitative imaging technique for assessment of nanoparticle drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier: Application for brain cancer therapeutics (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP grant, OncoNanoBBB).

Studying adsorption of proteins on the carbon based materials (Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) research grant).

Developing novel nanocomposite materials for the water clean-up (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF. MacroClean)

Development and manufacture of permeable composite filters for environment application (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, CARBOSORB).

Tissue engineering materials based on macroporous cryogels and non-viral delivery systems, growth factors: the development and testing in peripheral nerve injury and therapeutic angiogenesis (Russian Federal Programme grant).

My research interests can broadly be classified under the heading of water-rock interaction. This covers the chemical and physical interaction of fluids with earth materials from high temperature igneous systems to environment mineralogy and fluid chemistry. Current research interests include the genesis of rare earth element and iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits, the influence of unsaturated zone flow on groundwater chemistry, particularly with respect to diffuse urban pollution, and the redox mineralogy of marine steel corrosion. The latter is an interdisciplinary project with civil engineering and microbiology colleagues.

In the past I have worked on the genesis of iron oxide-copper-gold mineral deposit systems in Sweden and Kazakhstan, including their geochronology, mineralogy and fluid chemistry, all with the aim of producing new and better constrained genetic models. I have also worked on a range of other mineralising systems including shear zone-hosted gold, karst-hosted bauxite and granite related Sn-W mineralisation.

I am interested in the chemical modification of proteins and developing methods to characterise such modifications. Protein modification can have significant effect on protein function and consequently biochemical outcome. Attempts to characterise the site of modification can be challenging due in part to the complexity of the sample. Protein modification can result from either enzymatic post-translational modification (phosphorylation, ubiquitination, methylation, etc.) or non-enzymatic chemical modification with reactive metabolites (Michael additions, oxidation, reactive drug metabolite adducts).

My interests have recently focused on non-enzymatic chemical modifications of proteins by reactive metabolites, for example catecholamines and catechol oestrogen metabolites and their implications in diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and cancer. Current strategies are to develop methods to capture/enrich these modifications from biological sources, such as cell media, for analysis by mass spectrometry, to verify and optimise the methods using in vitro samples and to use these methods for global screening of biological samples such as tissue, blood and urine. The hope is that these protein modifications can serve as prognostic markers of disease which in turn can be translated to a clinical biochemistry setting. Other interests include protein modification/immobilisation to create novel biomaterials and biocatalysts and the recent discovery of amelogenin peptides from tooth enamel to enable sexing of archaeological samples using nanoLC-MS.

My main interests lie in the development of electrochemical sensors for environmental monitoring and the role of practical science for education at all ages.

Monitoring in the field is fraught with issues and often limited to certain compounds or concentration levels. I believe the key to worthwhile environmental protection and regulation starts with the ability to measure compounds of interest accurately and with low enough limits of detection. Too many times legislation is set by the limits of technology. My ethos is to keep analysis simple, cheap and accessible to all whilst maintaining the quality of the techniques.

Low concentration metal pollution has historically been a difficult area for field measurements resulting in only higher concentrations being able to be measured or samples having to be transported and analysed in laboratories. Many of the areas where monitoring is necessary are in remote or poorer areas in the world making laboratory analysis difficult. My research aims to develop sensors which can be used in the field with zero or minimal sample preparation but still obtain the trace level concentration measurements required for pollutants such as metals.

My belief is that education from an early age sets the attitude of a person to the environment they live in. By educating children about environmental issues in their immediate vicinity they will become more aware and considerate of the greater issues of the world. Children learn best by doing and as such I am currently developing a series of experiments to allow children to make real measurements of their local environment allowing them to discuss pollution issues and conservation measures. This project is developing through undergraduate research and so serving a double education role with that of the school children and of our undergraduates here at Brighton.

I am interested in the evolution of human culture, particularly the evolution of religion.  

mail: r.ashby3@uni.brighton.ac.uk