Postgraduate Prospectus

www.essex.ac.uk/bs | Biological Sciences
data-sets which include the so-called
Omic technologies, such as epigenomics,
genomics, glycomics, metabolomics,
proteomics and transcriptomics. The
application of these technologies enables
whole-genome studies of a range of
biomolecules, each of which could be a
key biomarker that discriminates between
health and disease. Our Bioinformatics
Group specialises in improving the
interpretation of large Omic datasets.
Our research is highly multi-disciplinary,
bringing together ideas from biology,
informatics, physics and statistics.
About our research degrees
Our PhD is a structured programme of
advanced study and research. We also
offer two other research degrees: an MPhil,
and an MSD (MSc by dissertation). If you
wish to undertake PhD studies but are not
Chris Reynolds, BSc PhD St Andrews
(Professor)
Computational chemistry/bioinformatics:
development of methods in computational
chemistry and their applications to
problems in biology; homology modelling;
G-protein coupled receptor activation;
virtual screening; structural bioinformatics;
modelling polarisation in enzymes
David Smith, BSc PhD Essex
(Senior Lecturer)
Coral reef biology: coral ecophysiology;
phenotypic and genotypic expression;
community ecology and conservation
management; water pollution, water
quality issues and faecal contamination
of environmentally-sensitive waters;
water quality management
Glyn Stanway, BSc PhD London
(Professor)
Virology: interaction between viruses
and cellular receptors; virus replication;
molecular approaches to understanding
virus pathogenicity; evolution, generic
relationships and molecular determinants
of host range
Michael Steinke, Diploma PhD Bremen
(Lecturer)
Marine biology: plankton ecology and
the production of biogenic trace gases;
role of infochemicals in predator-prey
interactions; aquatic infochemistry;
sulphur biogeochemistry
David Suggett, BSc Liverpool, MSc PhD
Southampton (Lecturer)
Aquatic productivity: environmental
control of photosynthesis (microalgae,
macroalgae, corals and sea grasses);
adaptive plasticity of microalgal
photosynthesis; bio-optical signatures
of marine and freshwaters; coral
ecophysiology; carbon metabolism
and cycling within lakes and coastal
marine systems
Graham Underwood, BSc Reading,
DPhil Sussex (Professor)
Marine ecology: diversity and ecology of
sediment-inhabiting estuarine diatoms;
biofilms in tropical reef systems; the
formation of algal biofilms and production
of exopolymers; response of algal
communities to nutrients; processes
of biostabilisation, sediment dynamics
and algal-bacterial coupling
Corinne Whitby, BSc Hull, PhD Liverpool
(Lecturer)
Molecular microbial ecology: role of
bacteria in nutrient cycling; microbial
biodegradation of xenobiotics;
environmental healthcare
Jonathan Worrall, BSc PhD Newcastle
(Lecturer)
Biochemistry and structural studies: the
pre-apoptotic complex formed between
cytochrome c and cardiolipin; copper
homeostasis in microbial systems
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