I am interested in population biology (population dynamics, community ecology, evolutionary ecology). Research in the group focuses on a wide range of questions such as the population and evolutionary dynamics of life history strategies (e.g. the evolution of longevity), the role of spatial structure on shared enemy and competing enemy interactions, the effects of enrichment on the diversity of ecological communities, the interplay between noise and dynamics in multispecies interactions and the evolution of resistance to microbes.
Many of these projects involve the development of theoretical models in conjunction with experiments or observations in the field or laboratory. To this end, we aim to test different ecological and evolutionary ecology theories by fitting relevant mathematical models to appropriate ecological experimental (or observational) data. Further details of my research interests can be found here.
I have a strong interest in science policy. From 2007 - 2016 I was a member of DEFRA's Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) and more recently involved in science policy work with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). As part of science policy work with WHO (TDR) and FNIH, I was involved in producing a report on the efficacy, biosafety and regulations of GM Mosquitoes. In June 2014, this report, as a Guidance Framwork for testing GM Mosquitoes, was published. Through July to December 2015, I served as science advisor to the House of Lords Science and Technology committee - a report was published on GM insects.
I am involved with the academic management teams on several Doctoral Training Programmes and more information on these is available here.
