Dr Cait Newport and Dr Salma Akter (currently Department of Chemistry) have been awarded Royal Society University Research Fellowships. The scheme is for outstanding early-career research scientists who have the potential to become leaders in their field.
Navigating turbid aquatic environments
Lost landmarks: Investigating the impacts of turbidity on visually guided navigation behaviour of wild reef fish
Cait will explore how fishes, many of which are reliant on vision for short-range navigation, face challenges when navigating in turbid water – and if, like humans, fish can alter their navigation strategy. Cait will reconstruct navigation routes of wild fish and identify features that can improve landmark detectability. Given the relative simplicity of fish brains compared to other vertebrates, this may reveal efficient mechanisms that require only minimal processing power and provide inspiration for the development of underwater autonomous navigation systems.
Cait says:
“I’m really excited about this project, which will use animal behaviour experiments to understand how fish solve complex visual problems, and apply those insights to artificial vision and intelligence systems. I’m grateful for the support of the Department of Biology’s IRF mentorship scheme, which guided me through the application process, and for the advice and encouragement I’ve received from colleagues.”
Engineering plant stress tolerance
Investigating the role of sulfiredoxin enzyme in plant oxidative stress tolerance
Salma will explore how plants respond to environmental stresses like drought and flooding, which can trigger oxidative stress, disrupting cellular redox balance, damaging proteins, and leading to cell death – factors that collectively reduce crop productivity. Sulfiredoxin (Srx), a key repair enzyme, can reverse specific oxidative damage. While only one Srx target has been identified in plants to date, Salma’s research aims to identify novel targets find out how these natural defence mechanisms might be engineered to enhance stress resilience.
Salma says:
“My fascination with oxidative stress signalling began during my PhD, sparked by the intriguing dual nature of reactive oxygen species (ROS) — vital for signalling yet potentially damaging to cells. This curiosity has shaped my research across both plant and mammalian systems. Through this Fellowship, I’m excited to uncover how redox repair functions in plants, with the broader aim of improving stress tolerance and contributing to food security in the face of climate change.
Receiving the Royal Society URF is a moment of immense pride. It allows me to build an independent research group and focus on high-impact research, thanks to its long-term support. I’m grateful to all the exceptional mentors I’ve had across Oxford, Scripps (Florida), Brussels, Ghent, and Dhaka. Holding this Fellowship at Oxford will provide continuity in collaborations and access to world-class research facilities.”
