Laura E Haynes
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- Thesis Title:
Impacts of Novel Multimodal Biopesticides on Beneficial Insects
- Primary Supervisor:
Dr G. Mandela Fernandez-Grandon
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Professor Philip C Stevenson
- Project Description:
Laura Haynes joined the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich in October 2019 as a PhD research student.
Laura’s research interests lie in ecotoxicology and specifically the impact of pesticides on the behavioural ecology of non-target agroecological beneficial insects such as pollinators and the natural enemies of crop pests. The utilisation of biopesticides such as botanical insecticides and entomopathogenic fungi to replace synthetic pesticide use in crop protection is a particular interest of research to provide a more sustainable methodology in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems.
Certain botanical extracts from plants can be utilised as insecticides and combinational usage with other biopesticides, such as entomopathogenic fungi, can increase pest control outcomes through synergistic action and therefore reduced concentrations required to maintain effectivity. This not only aims to reduce pest numbers with reduced environmental impact, but also enables a potential solution to insecticide resistance through differing modes of action utilised.
Effective use of these biopesticides in pest control may be restricted by negative impacts on agriculturally beneficial insects such as pollinators and natural enemies. The determination of any lethal and sub-lethal effects of these biopesticides, both alone and in combinational usage, on agroecological beneficial insects is a particular research focus for the project. Disentangling the physiological mechanisms behind any toxicity effects is also a keen area of interest for development, and will help to determine any potential mitigation of negative effects.
- Biography:
Laura's professional career has largely been within water companies as a scientist focusing on water quality maintenance. Laura originally began her career in a laboratory environment, examining water samples for pathogenic microbial and chemical contamination. She then moved into a regulatory role examining the causes of water quality failures, mitigating the impacts to public health and designing preventative measures.
Laura’s academic background began with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Zoology at the University of Nottingham (2005-2008), where she was able to build upon her interests in species conservation, ecology and behaviour. She conducted her undergraduate dissertation project on the crop raiding behaviour of threatened Buton macaques (Macaca ochreata brunnescens). The project investigated the damage caused by these animals on crop species and utilised the behavioural data collected of raiding activity to both protect the livelihoods of the farmers cohabiting with the macaques as well as reduce the negative implications of the crop protection methods used to deter the macaques.
Laura completed a Master’s degree (2010-2011) at the University of Exeter, focusing her dissertation project on determining the effect of a neonicotinoid insecticide on learning and memory in honeybees (Apis mellifera). This sparked her interest in the potentially damaging toxicity of pesticides on beneficial insects and how this can drastically impact ecosystem services through sublethal effects.
This interest in beneficial insect preservation and the importance for overall ecosystem functioning, led Laura to want to begin a PhD in this area. Laura was then accepted onto a PhD programme at the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich, examining the impact of multimodal biopesticides on beneficial insects. The aim of the project is to determine the lethal and sub-lethal impact of individual and combinational biopesticides on non-target agroecologically beneficial insects.
- Awards and External Recognition:
Laura is a member of the Royal Entomological Society.
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Laura Utume
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Lizzie M Saka
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- Thesis Title:
A food systems approach to understanding and supporting contributions of small pelagic fish to human diets and nutrition in Malawi.
- External Supervisor(s):
Shakuntala Thilsted, Horace Phiri
- Project Description:
Research will unearth how Usipa and other small pelagic fish, which contain high levels of protein and key micronutrients important for growth, bone and brain development, contribute to the diets and nutritional status of Malawians using a food systems framework.
Aspects of this research will consider the food supply chain, food environments and consumer behaviour. This project will provide novel insights into how participation in small pelagic fish value chains has affected diets and nutrition of Malawian people, with a particular focus on young children and women of reproductive age. By looking at the diets and nutritional status both of the people involved in small pelagic fish value chains and of vulnerable groups in rural and urban communities, we will be able to produce data to inform effective policies and investment in infrastructure to improve safety of pelagic fish and improve diets and nutrition. This research will contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on ending hunger and malnutrition, SDG 5 on gender and SDG 14 on fisheries.
- Biography:
Lizzie Saka, a lecturer from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR)in Malawi, joined the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich as a PhD student in April 2020. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Technology (Food Technology) from the University of Malawi and a Master’s Degree in Food Science and Technology obtained from LUANAR. She is a Quality Improvement fellow (Institute for Healthcare Improvement) and a Leadership for sustainable Development (LEAD) fellow (University of Malawi and Shell Foundation). Her research interests are in food systems, underutilised foods and plant oils.
- Selected Publications:
- Saka, L., Kasapila, W., Ng'ong'ola Manani, T. A. & Mlotha, V. 2018. Influence of maturity, smoking, and drying of fresh maize on sensory acceptability and nutritional content of the developed porridges. Food Science & Nutrition, 6, 2402-2413. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.838
- Awards and External Recognition:
- 2015 Master Scholarship, supported by LUANAR-NRC
- 2020 PhD Scholarship, jointly supported by Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich and WorldFish
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Lydia O’Meara
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- Thesis Title:
The role of food environments in enabling healthy, sustainable diets for rural women and young children: insights from Peru and Uganda
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Dr Kate Wellard
- External Supervisor(s):
Assoc Prof Elaine Ferguson,
- Project Description:
Sustainable food systems and, in turn food environments, for healthy diets are crucial for both human and planetary health. This is especially important for women and children in developing countries that are at high risk of malnutrition due to food insecurity.
This doctoral project will analyse factors underlying the nutritional impact of food environments in Peru and Uganda. The project will assess how local diets (measured as maternal and child dietary intake and anthropometry) are currently influenced by a variety of factors including food environments, agricultural practices, livelihood capitals, cultural norms and gender roles. It will also identify ‘double duty’ entry points (i.e. with potential to address both undernutrition and overnutrition) within food environments, that may be leveraged by communities, government and development partners to enable healthy, sustainable diets.
Specifically, this project will:
- Develop a conceptual model of drivers of food choice for women and young children in selected communities in Peru and Uganda.
- Evaluate the relative importance of these drivers in influencing dietary nutritional adequacy and food consumption patterns.
- Identify 'double-duty' entry points within food environments that may be leveraged to enable more nutritious and sustainable diets.
Findings will inform development of equitable food systems and food environments that are sustainable and nutritious for women and children in Peru and Uganda.
- Biography:
Originally from a sheep station in outback Australia, Lydia O’Meara (BSc Hons, BMedSc) is a nutritionist interested in leveraging food systems for nutrition. She joined the Natural Resources Institute in 2020, as a PhD candidate under a Food and Nutrition Security Initiative scholarship.
Lydia has previously worked with multi- disciplinary teams in the Pacific Islands, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and CGIAR.
Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, Lydia completed her BSc (Hons) with CQUniversity Australia working with eight indigenous iTaukei villages in Fiji to examine factors influencing the ability of vegetable farming households to eat a healthy diet (funded by ACIAR and the Crawford Fund). She then lived in Malaysia working with the CGIAR WorldFish Centre to:
- Contribute to the FAO “Illuminating Hidden Harvests” study by synthesising the global evidence for the role of small-scale fisheries in supporting food security.
- Examine the role of inland fisheries in the diets of children in Malawi, Zambia and Cambodia using nationally representative datasets and innovative spatial analysis.
- Provide technical assistance to a USAID team by developing decision-making protocols to guide effective incorporation of fish into the national feeding program for Odisha, India.
In her spare time, Lydia enjoys traveling and sampling local cuisines.
Interest areas:
- Food systems for healthy diets
- Food environments
- Food security
- Agriculture-nutrition nexus
- Sustainable diets
- Public health
- Selected Publications:
- O’Meara, L., Williams, S.L., Hickes, D., Brown, P. (2019) Predictors of dietary diversity of indigenous food-producing households in rural Fiji. Nutrients, 11 (7). pp.1629 (https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11071629)
- O’Meara, L., Williams, S.L., Ames, K., Lawson, C., Saluja, S., Vandelanotte, C. (2019) Low health literacy is associated with risk of type-2- diabetes in a non-clinical Australian population. The Diabetes Educator, 45 (4). pp. 431-441 (https://doi.org/10.1177%2F014572171985754 8)
- Awards and External Recognition:
Scholarships:
- 2020 PhD Scholarship, Food and Nutrition Security Initiative, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK, “The role of food environments in enabling healthy, sustainable diets for rural women and young children: insights from Peru and Uganda”
- 2018 Honours Research Scholarship, The Crawford Fund, Australia, “Food security in Pacific Island farming communities” (Crawford Fund ID: QLD-777-2017)
- 2017 Summer Research Program, College of the Atlantic/Ashoka, Japan, “Rural development on Osakikamijima, a remote agricultural island in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan”
- 2016 Summer Research Scholarship, CQUniversity, Australia, “Improving health literacy of Australian adults; what do we need to do?”
- 2015 Research Fellowship, Global Voices Int. Australia/OECD France, “Exploring nutritious food as a key tool in closing the gap in Indigenous health inequality”
Project awards:
- 2019 Opal Award - Excellence in Engaged Service Learning, CQUniversity, Australia, “Establishment of an innovative online CQUniversity Nutrition Network for students and alumni”
- 2018 Opal Award – Honours Research Project for Excellence in Innovation and Community Engagement, CQUniversity, Australia, “Factors influencing food security and dietary diversity of indigenous food-producing households in rural Fiji”
- 2015 Recognition Award for Excellent Project Service Delivery, Queensland Health, Cairns Hospital, Australia, “Emergency Medicine Education and Training for clinical staff in geographically remote healthcare facilities”
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Menyene U Nelson
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- Thesis Title:
Farmers’ perception of the impact of climate change on the four dimensions of food security (food availability, accessibility, utilisation and food system stability) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
- Primary Supervisor:
Dr Peter J A Burt
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Professor John F Morton
- Project Description:
The study will critically examine the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food value chains in rural communities, and the role of farmers and other value-chain actors in building a resilient society by addressing issues of food security. “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 2016). The main aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between agricultural production, processing and marketing and impact of climate change on food security in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The objectives include investigating the impact of climate change on the four dimensions of food security (food availability, accessibility, utilisation, and food system stability) in Akwa-Ibom State, using cassava as a case-study crop; identifying strategies adopted by farmers and other value chain actors to adapt to climate change and food insecurity; and also identifying policies and institutions which facilitate or constrain adaptation by farmers and other value-chain actors
- Biography:
Menyene Ekanem is a Nigerian by birth. After five years of studies spanning between 2004 and 2009 at the University of Calabar, Nigeria, she obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture in soil science. In 2010, she received her call up for the mandatory one-year national service in Nigeria where she was posted to Katsina State. Her passion for her host community motivated her to organise drilling of a borehole to provide portable water supply to the community. To assist inmates in the state correctional facility, she opened a shoe making factory for the males while the females were trained on bead making. Her contributions did not go unnoticed. She was therefore offered a scholarship by the Government of Nigeria to pursue her MSc at the University of Reading where she graduated with merit in Soils and Environmental Pollution. In September, 2019, Menyene joined the University of Greenwich for her doctoral studies on climate change and food security. Working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Nigeria, her passion is to drive a paradigm shift in the agricultural sector by helping rural farmers to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
- Selected Publications:
- Ekanem, M. (2013). The priming effect of biochar on soil organic matter (Unpublished MSc Thesis). University of Reading. Reading, United Kingdom.
- Ekanem, M. (2009). Soil fertility in rubber plantation (Unpublished BSc Thesis). University of Calabar. Cross Rivers State, Nigeria.
- Ekanem, M. (2013). Waste management in the UK (MSc Presentation). University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.
- Awards and External Recognition:
- 2011 National Youth Service Corps’ (NYSC) National Merit Award
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Molly Foster
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- Thesis Title:
The ‘framing battle’ for meat: perspectives from UK food activism
- Primary Supervisor:
Professor John F Morton
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Dr Conor Walsh
- Project Description:
Molly’s research aims to better understand the livestock sector as a subsection of the climate change discourse, considering the complexity of overlapping environmental and ethical factors.
The rearing of livestock animals globally is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, alongside numerous other environmental challenges. The discussion around the solutions to this problem is, however, highly polarised and involves a great degree of nuance. Drawing on concepts from Science and Technology Studies, Molly’s research looks into knowledge construction processes in activist and advocacy groups working in this space. Her research takes a mixed-method approach, focussed on ethnography and social network analysis, to understand the social and discursive processes at work here.
- Biography:
Molly Foster commenced her PhD project at NRI in February 2022.
She previously studied Human Sciences (BA) at St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, during which time she had particular interest in human ecology and food system transformation and was part of the IFSTAL network. She went on to work as a research assistant for the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, researching corporate investment in the alternative protein sector before joining NRI.
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Rachel R Chase
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- Thesis Title:
Characterisation of enset functional traits, genetics and optimal management practices to enhance food security and climate resilience in Ethiopia
- Primary Supervisor:
Dr Lucie Büchi
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Professor Jonne Rodenburg
- External Supervisor(s):
Dr. James Borrell (Kew Gardens)
- Project Description:
Rachel’s project focuses on the ecological characterisation of cultivated Ensete ventricosum, an indigenous multipurpose food crop in Ethiopia, with particular focus on its tolerance to drought, in order to better understand its productivity and resilience in the context of climate change.
Characterisation field work will be conducted in Ethiopia, on farm and in existing ex situ collections. Evaluation of enset growth and other related parameters during drought stress will be carried out in growth chamber and greenhouse experiments at Bioversity International’s banana genebank in Belgium and in field experiments in Ethiopia. Genetic data from other ongoing projects will feed into the interpretation of the impact of domestication on ecological traits and drought tolerance.
Rachel’s 7 years’ experience in Musa (banana) research with Bioversity International adds value to project, allowing insightful comparisons of the sister genera (Musa and Ensete).
- Biography:
Rachel is a part-time PhD student who started in January 2020. As an American living overseas for over 20 years, she has had many homes, the most recent being Montpellier, France, where she works part-time for Bioversity International in the Banana Genetic Resources Programme.
Rachel holds a BSc in Ecology from the University of Texas and an MSc in Plant Systematics from the University of Cape Town.
Her professional focus has been on sustainable agrobiodiversity, and in particular on global banana diversity. Naturally she became interested in studying enset, it being in the same family as bananas (Musaceae), with many similarities but also intriguing differences. Little research has been done on enset so there are many exciting questions to answer!
- Selected Publications:
- Ruas, M. et al. 2017. MGIS: Managing banana (Musa spp.) genetic resources information and high-throughput genotyping data. Database, 2017, 1-17.
- MusaNet 2016. Summary of the Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources (R. Chase and B. Laliberte, compilers). Bioversity International, Montpellier, France.
- Chase, R. et al. 2016. The field verification activity: a cooperative approach to the management of the global Musa in vitro collection at the International Transit Centre. Acta Horticulturae 1114; 61 -65.
- Roux, N. et al. 2014. Strengthening the Link Between Musa Genomics and Genetic Resource Applications through Characterization, Evaluation, Conservation and Data Management. International Plant and Animal Genome Conference XXII 2014
- Chase, R. 2003. MSc Thesis, University of Cape Town: Palaeoclimatic impacts on the phylogeography of an Afromontane liverwort: Jamesoniella colorata (Lophoziaceae)
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Richard I Lloyd Mills
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- Thesis Title:
The molecular and chemical ecology of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae).
- Primary Supervisor:
Dr Daniel P Bray
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Professor Richard J Hopkins
- Project Description:
The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is a free living ectoparasitic mite that primarily feeds on the blood of chickens. Poultry mite infestations adversely affect poultry production and pose a significant threat to hen welfare. Recent epidemiological reports suggest that ~83% of European poultry farms are currently infested. As poultry mite infestations in layer hen facilities result in eggs of reduced quality, egg blood spotting and decreased production overall, economic losses attributed to poultry mite infestation range from £150-300 million per annum in Europe. Current control methods based on acaricides and barn spraying remain ineffective as mites build resistance and persist in concealed crevices. As such, this project aims to develop novel methods for monitoring and control of the poultry red mite, focusing on disruption of the host seeking process.
Richard particularly enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers and was awarded an additional £11,000 to further explore the molecular basis of chemoreception and host location behaviour in poultry red mites with Dr Stewart Burgess at the Moredun Research Institute.
- Biography:
Richard Lloyd Mills joined the Natural Resources Institute as a PhD researcher in the chemical ecology group under the supervision of Dr Daniel Bray and Professor Richard Hopkins in October 2018.
Prior to joining NRI, Richard graduated from the University of Hull in 2016 with a BSc (Hons) in Zoology and went on to complete an MRes in Ecology with Professor Andrew Beckerman at the University of Sheffield in 2017.
Richard is currently working on the poultry red mite, a haematophagous ectoparasite that significantly impacts production in UK poultry farms. In 2019 Richard was awarded an additional £11,000 in funding from the British Egg Marketing Board for a project titled ‘Elucidating the molecular basis of chemoreception and host location in Dermanyssus gallinae’ in collaboration with Dr Stewart Burgess at the Moredun Research Institute.
Richard’s main research interests lie in the application of novel techniques for control of economically important pests and exploring the molecular basis of chemical communication in arthropods.
- Selected Publications:
- Bartley, K., Chen, W., Lloyd Mills, R.I., Nunn, F., Price, D.R.G., Rombauts, S., Van de Peer, Y., Roy, L., Nisbet, A.J., Burgess, S.T.G., 2021. Transcriptomic analysis of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, across all stages of the lifecycle. BMC Genomics 22, 248. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-021-07547-9
- Qiang, L., Arabeyyat, Z. H., Xin, Q., Paunov, V.N, Dale, I.J.F, Lloyd Mills, R.I., Rotchell, J.M., Cheng, J., 2020. Silver Nanoparticles in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos: Uptake, Growth and Molecular Responses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21 (5)
- Shlair A. Sadeq, Richard I. Lloyd Mills and Andrew P. Beckerman. The microbiome mediates the interaction between predation and heavy metals. Science of the Total Environment, 775, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145144
- Awards and External Recognition:
Grant award: British Egg Marketing Board (BEMB) pump priming (£11,000).
Title: ‘Elucidating the molecular basis of red poultry mite chemoreception and host location behaviour.’
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Ruth O Festus
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- Thesis Title:
Development and evaluation of novel diagnostic tools for African yam viruses
- Primary Supervisor:
Professor Susan E Seal
- Secondary Supervisor(s):
Dr Gonçalo Ramalho E Silva
- Project Description:
Yam is an important crop for food security in Africa, whose production is threatened by pest and diseases among other factors. Viruses can cause up to 50% yield loss in the crop, as well as, impede germplasm exchange for its improvement.
This project aims to develop, optimize and validate a range of diagnostic tests for economically important yam viruses in West and East Africa. In addition to that, characterize novel yam viruses.
These research findings will aid in establishing routine diagnostics for different laboratory settings and quarantine services which will invariably reduce the risk of virus spread as well as, increase the efficiency of breeding programs for yam virus resistance.
- Biography:
Ruth commenced her full-time doctoral studies at NRI in February 2020 as an international student. She had earlier obtained her BSc with a First-class Honours in Crop Protection from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria and an MSc in Plant Breeding jointly from the Pan African University and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in the year 2014 and 2018 respectively.
Ruth has a passion for plant virology and food security which made her volunteer work as a research assistant for the plant virology Unit in FUNAAB. Her research then focused on the detection and management of virus diseases in vegetables. Again, she worked as a research fellow in the virology and molecular diagnostics Unit of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria. Her research there focused on the evaluation of Yam mosaic virus titer in white yam genotypes at different growth stages.
Her years of research experience has gained her expertise in on-field and lab diagnosis of plant viruses, as well as, the use of diagnostic tools and disease surveillance.
Ruth is interested in plant virus diagnostics, bioinformatics, disease surveillance and plant virus resistance breeding.
- Awards and External Recognition:
Awards
- Best oral presenter in plant health at the 22nd annual symposium of the International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows (2019).
- Senate annual prize for First-class Honours graduating students (2013/2014).
Professional Membership
- Member of the Nigerian Society for Plant Virology. 2019 – till date
- Member of the Connected Virus Network. 2018 – till date
- Member of the Nigerian Society for Plant Protection. 2016 – till date
- Alumnus of the International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows. 2017 – 2019
- Alumnus of the African Union Chapter. 2016 – 2018
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Himadri Pal
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