About
I am the head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton and I am interested in the functioning of the coral-algal symbiosis and how changes in environmental conditions affect reef ecosystems. Specifically, I am working to unravel how the disturbance of the nutrient environment renders corals more susceptible to bleaching. I am involved in the discovery of new coral symbiont species that enable corals to survive in the hottest reef environments of the planet. Finally, I have produced a substantial body of work on the photophysiology of symbiotic corals and introduced novel fluorescent coral pigments imaging tools for medical research.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Coral Reef Biology and Ecology
- Coral Bleaching
- Nutrient biology of coral reefs
- Photophysiology of symbiotic reef organisms including the biological function and applications of fluorescent protein pigments
- Adaptation of reef corals to extreme environments and climate change
Research projects
Active projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
Applying interactive learning approaches to enhance student engagement and learning experience
Biography
2013- Professor of Biological Oceanography, UoS, UK. Head Coral Reef Laboratory
2011 Visiting Professor, University of Nice, France.
2011-2013 Senior Lecturer of Biological Oceanography, UoS, UK
2007-2011 Lecturer in Marine Molecular Biology, UoS, UK
2000-2007 Group Leader (C1, Ass. Prof.), Dept. of Zoology, University of Ulm, Germany
2009 Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Southampton (UoS), UK.
2005 Venia legendi (Habilitation) in Molecular Biology and Zoology at the University of Ulm, Germany.
2000 PhD (University of Ulm, Germany, Depts. of Ecology & Morphology / Zoology & Endocrinology) with a Baden-Württemberg graduate fellowship (summa cum laude, PhD thesis Award of the University Society).
1996 Studies in Ecology, Zoology, Botany and Biochemistry, University of Ulm, Germany. Diploma in Biology (Depts. Ecology & Morphology / Medical Genetics).