Organisms and Environment

The Organisms and Environment research division focuses on the biology of whole organisms and their roles and interactions in changing ecosystems, in infection and health and at the genetic level. Our aim is to understand the ecological, health and genetic consequences of environmental change on biological diversity. Our approach is to focus on processes and prediction, combining ecological, experimental and molecular approaches, in contrasting groups of organisms. All the major groups are studied, including animals, plants, bacteria, archaea, protozoa, filamentous fungi and yeast.

Research areas are broadly divided into three areas:

• genomes, diversity and adaptation
• individuals, ecosystems and GlobalChange
• microbes, infection and communities.

PhD projects tend to be multidisciplinary in nature, and range from field ecology to experimental microbiology to population genomics. The group has a field centre in Sabah, Malaysia and O&E faculty are also responsible for maintaining the School’s Molecular Biology and Analytical support facilities. In this large and lively research division, many projects are run in collaboration with Universities and Research Institutes elsewhere in the UK and abroad, as well as with other departments (such as Earth and Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, City and Regional Planning) within the University.

Further information on researchers and facilities within Organisms and Environment is available on the School's website.

Distinctive features

• Seminar Programme: The Organisms and Environment Division has an active seminar programme to enable postgraduate students to meet top international researchers and also present their own research

Contacts