Research overview

The overarching theme of my research is vertebrate genome evolution, particularly with respect to the effects of gene and genome duplication on genome composition and gene regulation.

Current research topics include:

Vertebrate Genome Evolution
Sharks, snakes, sandrats and gerbils

Vertebral variation
What controls numbers and type of vertebrae?

Snake venom evolution
Gene duplication, restriction and recruitment

Funding

The Leverhulme Trust Project Grant £196,897 (“Decoding dark DNA”) 01/06/2019-31/05/2022

British Andrology Society £3,782 (“Differential responses of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm to follicular fluid from the right and left ovaries”) 01/02/2019-31/01/2020

Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) Pilot Grant £2,494 (“Refining husbandry of desert rodents”) 18/01/2017-17/01/2018

The Leverhulme Trust Project Grant £182,005 (“Mapping the gerbil genome”) 01/04/2016-31/03/2019

The Leverhulme Trust Project Grant £101,951 (“Genetic basis of snake venom evolution.” 01/03/2014-28/02/2016 (Co-I with Dr. Wolfgang Wüster (PI))

2013-2016 European Commission Marie Curie Actions International Research Staff Exchange Scheme. “Bites”. £217,618 (led by Dr Anita Malhotra)

Systematics and Taxonomy (SynTax) grant scheme £19,553 (“Cryptic reptile diversity in a floristic biodiversity hotspot” 01/04/2012-31/03/2013) (with Dr. Wolfgang Wüster (PI), Dr. Krystal Tolley, Dr. John Measey)

Royal Society Research Grant £12,971 (“Gene duplication, gene regulation and the evolution and development of snake venom” 01/04/2011-31/03/2012)

Diabetes UK Small Grant £14,500 (“The Role of Pdx2 in pancreas development and function” 01/02/2011-31/01/2012)

The Fishmongers Company Research Grant £2,250 (“Resources for the study of shark populations around Bangor” 01/08/2010-31/07/2011)

Fisheries Society of the British Isles Small Research Grant £4,880 (“Basal actinopterygian phylogeny inferred using next generation sequencing technology” 01/03/2009 – 01/03/2010)