people

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Professor Ken Wilson My research involves using epidemiological principles and life-history theory to explore the evolutionary interactions between parasites and their hosts, focussing particular attention on Lepidopteran larvae and their viral and fungal pathogens, especially in Africa; the St. Kildan population of Soay sheep and their nematode parasites; and, most recently, Svalbaard reindeer and their parasites. We tackle these objectives via an inter-disciplinary approach and by applying a combination of methods, including: statistical and simulation modelling, comparative analyses, quantitative genetics methods, field experiments, and physiological assays. I am an Editor of Journal of Animal Ecology. To submit a paper, follow this link. See my homepage. See my Publications on
Dr Rosa Menendez My research interests focus on the effects of environmental change (habitat fragmentation and climate change) on insect communities. My current research themes include: Potential impact of climate change on species altitudinal distributions (dung beetles in European mountains and in subtropical rainforest of Australia); the role of species interactions during climate-driven range expansion, both enemy-victim interactions (butterflies and their parasitoids) and competition (dung beetles); changes in community structure with climate warming (butterfly and dung beetle communities) and the subsequent consequences to ecosystem level processes (dung processing by dung beetles); metapopulation ecology (butterflies and moths). My approach is mainly field-based, and involves work both in UK and abroad. See my homepage.
Dr Andy Wilby Primarily I am interested in the control of plant and invertebrate community structure and function in managed ecosystems. I have experience of a broad range of taxa in several ecosystems including hot deserts and tropical and temperate agro-ecosystems (Israel, Vietnam, Philippines, Côte D’Ivoire, Kenya, UK and Italy). Currently my research is focused on ecosystem service provision in agricultural ecosystems and how agricultural sustainability can be enhanced by biodiversity conservation. Currently, this research falls into several main themes: understanding the mechanisms underlying species diversity effects in arthropod predator communities; the impact of agricultural management and landscape structure on arthropod community structure and ecosystem service provision; provision of supplementary resources to enhance of biological pest control; trophic and non-trophic impacts of herbivores on plant community structure and function. See my homepage.
POST DOCS FELLOWS Dr Rob Graham I am interested in the ecology of host-parasite interactions, with particular emphasis on insect virus systems. I undertook my PhD at NERC CEH Oxford working on multiple virus pathogens of the winter moth. I have since undertaken postdoctoral work in both Canada and Australia, working on insect viruses, bacteria and fungi. I worked in iPEG on a BBSRC-DFID funded project (2008-2011) investigating the ecology of the African armyworm nucleoployhedrovirus (Spodoptera exempta NPV), and the feasibility of developing this natural pathogen into a viable alternative to chemical insecticides. For more information visit the Armyweb website. I am currently an EU Marie Curie Fellow (2011-2014) spending two years in Steve Simpson's lab in Sydney on Australian Plague Locusts, but will return to iPEG for the final year of my fellowship. For more information visit my homepage.
Dr Joanna Randall I am interested in the ecology of insect host-parasite interactions. I did my PhD at the University of Cardiff, trying to test the effects of co-infections on host population dynamics. I conducted experimental studies looking at the effects of host-parasite interactions during single infections, as well as the population dynamics of hosts infected with parasites that have conflicting strategies, using both macro and microparasites. By creating mathematical models of these interactions at the population level, we can adapt this system to other host-parasite scenarios, improving our understanding of host population change, disease transmission and the evolution of pathogen virulence. I am currently BBSRC post-doc (2012-2015) in iPEG working on the role of nutrition in determining the outcome of host-pathogen interactions, using Spodoptera caterpillars and Bacillus bacteria as model organisms.
Dr Liz Nichols I am broadly interested in how land management decisions influence the interactions between free-living and parasitic biodiversity, and potentially result in trade-offs across health-related ecosystem services. Currently, I am investigating how environmental changes influence host-parasite dynamics in a tropical dung beetle-fecal helminth system in Brazil. My doctoral work at Columbia University focused on coupled biodiversity and functional responses to land-use change in tropical forests. Following my PhD, I have been a postdoctoral associate at Columbia University (supervisor Shahid Naeem) and lecturer at both the New School and Columbia Universities. I am currently National Science Foundation Fellow (2012-2014), based jointly at the iPEG (supervisor Ken Wilson), and the Universidade de São Paulo (supervisor Jean Paul Metzger). For more information visit here.
PHD STUDENTS Anja Carlsson I am interested in parasite host interactions, and am currently working on the Svalbard Reindeer project looking at how their gastrointestinal nematodes influence over-winter survival, reproduction and population dynamics. My PhD supervisors are Prof Ken Wilson, Prof Steve Albon (Macaulay), Dr Justin Irvine (Macaulay) and Dr Steve Coulson (UNIS). Before coming to Lancaster I worked with Anders Björkman’s malaria research lab, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, investigating the diversity and dynamics of P.falciparum in clinical malaria infections as well as working on efficacy and effectiveness studies of Coartem©. I have a B.Sc with honours in Zoology from Edinburgh University and a Masters in International Health from Uppsala University.

Annabel Rice I am currently studying for a PhD looking at the impacts that range-expanding species have on the structure of the communities which they enter into, focusing on butterflies and their parasitoids. My PhD supervisors are Dr Rosa Menendez, Dr Becky Morris (Oxford University) and Prof Ken Wilson. I graduated in Ecology from Lancaster University in 2007, after which I worked at CEH Lancaster processing soil for the Countryside Survey, followed by CEH Monks Wood carrying out mixture toxicity experiments with C. elegans. If you would like to help me find butterflies for my project, please visit my website: www.theparasitoideffect.org.uk For further information about me, see my LEC homepage.
Rachel Hope I am interested in disease ecology and how wildlife is affected by a variety of pathogens. My PhD is looking into the epidemiology and transmission of bacteria and enteropathogens between birds, specifically blue tits, and is supervised by Prof Ken Wilson, Dr Ian Hartley, Prof Roger Pickup (SHM) and Dr Glenn Rhodes (CEH-Lancaster). Before coming to Lancaster I completed a BSc (Hons) in Natural Sciences at the University of Durham (2007). After this I studied at Leeds University for an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation (2008), where I completed my dissertation on the impact of malarial parasites upon yellowhammers, under the supervision of Dr Simon Goodman. For further information, see my LEC homepage.
Chris Nesbitt I am interested in climate change effects on ecosystem function; particularly in relation to services such as agricultural output. The focus of my PhD research (supervised by Dr Rosa Menendez and Dr Andy Wilby) will be based on the effects of elevated CO₂ and temperature on both direct and indirect interactions of all organisms within a model agricultural system. This incorporates Brassica crops, an array of crop pests and both predatory and parasitoid natural enemies! I graduated in 2008 from Lancaster University with a BSc in Ecology and in 2009 with an MRes in Science of the Environment.
Emily Adams I am currently conducting a PhD entitled "Understanding and Managing Honey Bee Health in the UK: Beekeeping Knowledge and Engagement with Science and Policy". My supervisors are Dr Rebbecca Ellis and Prof Ken Wilson and I am funded by an ESRC-NERC studentship. For further information, see my LEC homepage.
Philip Donkersley My PhD is exploring the interaction between chemical exposure, nutrition and gut mirobes on the health of honey bees. My PhD is supervised by Prof Ken Wilson, Professor Roger Pickup, Dr Glenn Rhodes and Professor Kevin Jones, and is supported by the BBSRC. For further information, see my LEC homepage.
Stephanie Bryan I am currently working on a PhD in collaboration with Arcis Biotechnology Ltd on the environmental effects of a novel benign nematocide against plant parasitic nematodes. I will be looking into the effects of this product on the soil ecology and its potential impact on plant growth, supervised by Dr Mike Roberts and Prof Ken Wilson. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Centre for Global Eco-innovation. I previously graduated in Biological Sciences from the University of Leicester in 2011.
Aislinn Pearson I have recently joined the iPEG team after doing an MSc in Ecological Applications at Imperial. My particular area of interest is food security and the development of sustainable agriculture in African countries. Supervised by Prof Ken Wilson (LEC), Dr Jason Chapman (Rothamsted Research), Dr Joanna Randall (LEC) and Dr Robert Graham (LEC), my PhD will look at the migration and disease ecology of lepidopteran crop pests. The study is in its initial stages but will focus on host-parasite interactions, such as the African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) and its nucleoployhedrovirus, SpexNPV. Funding is provided by a BBSRC DTP in Food Security


RESEARCH TECHNICIANS Phil Nott I am currently working as a Technician within the Insect and Parasite Ecology Group, assisting with the general running of Prof Ken Wilson's Lab. This is for three days a week, my other time is spent on other Plant Sciences based projects within L.E.C including undergraduate projects, mainly plant - insect interactions. My duties within the group include maintenance of Spodoptera exempta and littoralis cultures and Callosobruchus spp. cultures. I also help with the Small Mammal trapping projects among others. I am currently studying for a BSc (hons) in Natural Sciences with the Open University, hopefully finishing within a year or two!
Yamini Tummala I am working as a Research Technician on the armyworm project with Prof Ken Wilson. We are looking for genotypic and phenotypic variation in the virus in early, mid and late season isolates. Genotypic characterization is carried out using RFLP and PCR of the known variable regions within the SpexNPV genome. We are also looking for prevalence of persistent SpexNPV infections in the field populations by isolating DNA and RNA from S.exempta pupae and adults collected in the field. Earlier I worked as a research technician at Sheffield Hallam University, on purification of alkene monooxygenase from Rhodococcus rhodochrous using ion exchange chromatography.


MAIN COLLABORATORS
Dr Sheena Cotter Queen's University Belfast, UK Prof Stephen Simpson University of Sydney, Australia David Grzywacz University of Greenwich, UK Wilfred Mushobozi EcoAgriConsult Ltd, Tanzania Prof Seif Madoffe Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania Dr Esmat Hegazi University of Alexandria, Egypt Prof Edwin Michael University of Notre Dame, USA Prof Jenny Cory Simon Fraser University, Canada Prof Steve Albon Hutton Institute, UK Dr Justin Irvine Hutton Institute, UK Dr Brian Preston University of Bergundy, Germany Dr Ian Stevenson Sunadal Data Solutions
GROUP ALUMNI
Dr Ian Stevenson: PDRA, now runs his own database company Dr Brian Preston: PhD student (1997-2001), now a post-doc in France Dr Sheena Cotter: PhD student (1998-2002), post-doc (2005-2007), now NERC postdoc fellow & lecturer Queen's University Belfast Dr Sarah Moore: PhD student (1999-2003), now an environmental consultant Dr Louisa Tempest: PhD student (2001-2006), 'works for the Government' Dr Libby Redman: PhD student based at CEH-Oxford (2001-2006), now at Glasgow Vet. Dr Susan Williamson: PhD student (2003-2007), now works as a statistician Dr Sonia Povey: PhD student (2004-2008), physiotherapist Dr Kwang Pum Lee: post-doc (2004-2005), now a lecturer in South Korea Andrew Slaughter: research technician (2006), now doing PhD in South Africa Dr Julia Myatt: research technician (2005), went on to PhD at Birmingham, now PDRA at Royal Vet College Dr Clare Benskin: research technician (2004), PhD (2005-2009), now employed on the DTC River Eden Project. Shaihla Khan: research technician (2010), now enrolled on a doctoral programme in the USA.