All News A–Z

2018 welcomes a new cohort of MEFGL Phd students!

Publication date: 19 March 2018

3 year NERC PDRA in grass pollen aerobiology and human health recruiting now!

3 year, full time postdoctoral researcher: Using molecular genetics to understand grass species pollen deposition: enhancing bio-aerosol models and implications for human health (NERC £1.2M Standard Grant funding).

Publication date: 26 November 2015

A NERC marine eDNA biological invasion PhD opportunity available via Marc Rius, NOC

A NERC Doctoral Training PhD program A NERC Doctoral Training PhD program entitled: Environmental DNA and the study of marine biological invasions http://noc.ac.uk/gsnocs/project/environmental-dna-study-marine-biological-invasions

Publication date: 12 October 2015

Amy Ellison and Zamudio lab scoop front cover of Molecular Ecology!

A great start to 2020 for Amy Ellison in hitting the front cover of Molecular Ecology

Publication date: 6 February 2020

Ancient fish DNA provides a window back in time

Threespine sticklebacks: tiny fish with a big impact, helping biologists to understand the evolutionary process of adaptation.

Publication date: 31 March 2021

Bang Goes the Theory comes to Bangor!

Following the recent furore over horse meat contamination in other meats, BBC’s popular science show, Bang Goes the Theory (on BBC 2 Wales at 18.30on Tuesday 9 April 2013/ Monday 8 April 19..30 BBC One not in regions) looks at how new DNA techniques can be used to identify the fish on your plate.

Publication date: 4 April 2013

Can we use eDNA as an ‘environmental magnifying-glass’?

An innovative idea submitted by Bangor University has been selected as one of eight projects selected within four “idea” areas to be funded by the Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC) new “Highlight Topic” research funding stream. Based on their research, the scientific community were invited to subject project areas which would place environmental science at the heart of the sustainable management of the planet. “Environmental DNA: a tool for 21st century ecology”, the new idea suggested by Bangor University in collaboration with other academics and stakeholders, was among around 150 submissions. The successful project will assess how we can use new genetic techniques to measure biodiversity.

Publication date: 2 November 2015

Combining public health and environmental science to develop pollen forecasting

New research, which brings healthcare data together with ground-breaking ecological techniques, could set a roadmap for refining pollen forecasts in the future. Current pollen forecasts, crucial for people with allergic asthma or hay fever to manage their symptoms, rely on measuring the total load of grass pollen in the atmosphere. However, these do not distinguish between pollen from different types of grass. Now, a potential link between pollen from certain grass species and respiratory health issues has been revealed.

Publication date: 11 March 2021

Congratulations for recent promotion success!

We would all like to congratulate the following MEEB members for their recent promotions.

Publication date: 31 July 2023

Congratulations to Alexander Papadopulos, Senior Lecturer!

Congratulations Alex P on recently being awarded Senior Lecturer status.

Publication date: 6 March 2020

Congratulations to Caitlin Potter and Iliana Bista on passing their PhD vivas!!

We would like congratulate and to wish both Caitlin Potter and Iliana Bista the very best for their forthcoming research careers after both recently successfully defended their PhD theses.

Publication date: 14 October 2016

Congratulations to Francisco Nascimento in acquiring his first faculty position in Stockholm University!

We would like to warmly congratulate Dr. Francisco Nascimento ( https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francisco_Nascimento5 ) on successfully acquiring his first faculty position at the University of Stockholm.

Publication date: 19 April 2016

Congratulations to Mark de Bruyn: Sydney Faculty position!

After leaving the group recently, we are absolutely "stoked" that Mark de Bruyn has recently successfully applied for and been granted a faculty position as a Lecturer at the Molecular Ecology, Evolution, and Phylogenetics laboratory in the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, led by Nate Lo and Simon Ho .

Publication date: 25 May 2017

Congratulations to Will Perry for College PhD Conference talk award!

MEFGL’s William Perry takes home prize for ‘sexy salmon’ talk at College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering PhD Conference.

Publication date: 17 January 2019

Conservation Success! NERC ENVISION’s Jane Hosegood discusses new CITEs regulations for Devil rays

We know that trade and transport of ivory is strictly controlled to safeguard the elephants, and that other animal by-products such as the use of rhino horn is also controlled in an attempt to clamp down on the poaching and illegal trade which affects some of our most threatened species.

Publication date: 4 April 2017

DNA pinpoints river animals in the here-and-now

New research proves that environmental DNA survives for less than two days in small fast-flowing rivers and so provides highly localised and current information on species composition. This is crucial new evidence as biologists turn increasingly to new DNA sampling techniques to assess aquatic ecosystem health.

Publication date: 2 February 2018

DNA reveals seasonally shifting populations in an iconic Snowdonia lake

An iconic lake at the foot of Mount Snowdon has played a vital role in improving how lakes and rivers can be monitored in the future. Llyn Padarn, viewed at the foot of Snowdon by thousands of visitors each year, was the testbed for research that could lead to far more efficient and speedy environmental monitoring of our lakes and rivers, following research by Bangor University and others, published in Nature Communications ( coi10.1038/ncomms14087 ).

Publication date: 31 January 2017

Expert contributes to UN World Consultation on Aquatic genetic Resources

Professor Gary Carvalho of the University’s School of Biological Sciences was one of 13 world-renowned experts attending a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations State World Consultation on Aquatic Genetic Resources, at the UN Regional Pacific and Asian FAO Office in Bangkok (28 January-1 February 2013).

Publication date: 5 February 2013

FSBI Beverton medal 2018

It has been announced recently that Gary R Carvalho, who coordinates the Molecular Ecology & Fisheries Genetics Laboratory , at Bangor University, UK, has been awarded the FSBI Beverton medal for 2018.

Publication date: 14 May 2018

Farewell to Dr Martin Taylor

The MEFGL were sorry to see the departure of Dr Martin Taylor from the group, to pursue a Senior Lectureship in the University of East Anglia and wish him the best of luck.

Publication date: 15 July 2013

First insights into the macroecology of European microscopic marine animals now in Global Ecology and Biogeography

A study recently published in Global Ecology and Biogeography led by Si with Gary and ex-MEFGL PhD student, Vera Fonseca (now Head of Metabarcoding at Bonn Museum), has revealed interesting insights into the macroecology of European microscopic eukaryotes.

Publication date: 28 August 2014

Fish, Genes and Genomes: Major International Conference at Bangor – FSBI 2016 (Convenor, Gary Carvalho)

Recent advances in genomics and biotechnology provide new and effective opportunities to tackle major challenges in fisheries sustainability, management, conservation and governance.

Publication date: 7 July 2016

Five PhD studentships available in MEFGL groups!

Exciting opportunities to conduct postgraduate research in the MEFGL group are now open for applications on the Envision DTP website. Closing date: Friday 17 January 2020.

Publication date: 5 November 2019

Fully funded NERC and competitive DTP PhD programs with MEFGL collaborators now advertising!

Fully funded PhD available, residency at the University of Essex, supervised by Si Creer (MEFGL), Alex Dumbrell (Essex) and Tom Little (Imperial)

Publication date: 12 October 2015

Fully funded PhD available: Fish eDNA and ecological health

PhD opportunity available to work in the expanding area of environmental DNA (eDNA) biodiversity analysis.

Publication date: 31 July 2017

Gauging evolutionary adaptation- are our models right?

One challenge facing scientists is to estimate how our environment and the complex web of creatures within it, will respond to changes in their environment due to climate change or other human influences. Traditionally, scientists have taken and tested single or pairs of ecological ‘drivers’ of change in the environment, elements such as increased temperature, increased CO2 or changes in herbicides or fertilizer, to assess how species will evolve over hundreds of generations. This lab-based model of evolutionary change is simple compared to the complex environment in which species exist, so one major task for scientists is to understand how well simplified versions of environmental change teach us about more complex ones.

Publication date: 1 September 2017

Horizon Europe Research Project Support Officer and PhD opportunity recruiting now!

Full time Research Project Support Officer (RPSO): Forest restoration metabarcoding biodiversity analyses, with the Horizon Europe SUPERB project.

Publication date: 14 December 2021

Identifying the grass pollen that gets up your nose

Scientists could be a step closer to providing more precise pollen forecasts to the 25% of the UK population who live with either asthma or hay fever. This follows the first results of a major three-year project to analyse airborne grass pollen. The first year’s findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution , have shown that it is not just the overall ‘load’ of grass pollen in the air that could cause those particularly bad days for asthma and hay fever sufferers. Days which see increased asthma attacks or intense hay fever could be related to the release of pollen from particular grass species.

Publication date: 8 April 2019

Interested in sequence based identification of biodiversity? New MEE manuscript for ecologists

After a number of interactions with colleagues at the British Ecological Society and the Ecological Society of America, including a "Methods in Ecology and Evolution” sponsored workshop in Lille, France, in 2014 we were recently inspired to write a methods paper outlining the contemporary molecular approaches that are available to enable the identification of biodiversity.

Publication date: 13 June 2016

International Biologists Attend Training Course with MEFGL

MEFGL was host to a plethora of international researchers this September, who came to Bangor for a training course entitled “Bioinformatics for eDNA”, as well as the UK’s eDNA Working Group Meeting.

Publication date: 29 October 2015

It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of Prof. Roger Hughes

It is with great sadness that we announce that Roger Hughes passed away on the 30th August 2015.

Publication date: 14 September 2015

Lab experiments for Ysgol Bodedern pupils participating in Antarctica, Climate Change and Icefish project

Pupils from Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern working on an innovative and exciting climate change project, visited Bangor University to work in the laboratories there as part of their project Antarctica, Climate Change and Icefish . Scientists from the University’s School of Biological Sciences have been leading the project under a Partnership Grant from The Royal Society , the UK’s national academy of science, and have been working with the pupils since September. The project is introducing pupils to the effects of climate change on marine animals in a part of the world where biodiversity and habitats are especially vulnerable to environmental change.

Publication date: 10 December 2012

MEEB members travel to Hyderabad (Telangana, India) to discuss future collaborations

A delegation from MEEB, Bangor, led by Dr Anita Malhotra, recently travelled to Hyderabad (Telangana, India) funded by a grant from the Wales-Telangana Universities Partnerships Project

Publication date: 24 July 2023

MEFGL Successes to start 2020!

A string of good news recently...

Publication date: 24 January 2020

MEFGL TREE review on eDNA in biodiversity assessment out now!

After a long investment of time by MEFGL staff, led by Mark DeBruyn (with Alice Evans), in collaboration with Tom Gilbert’s group (with Kristine Bohmann) at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, we are delighted to announce that our TREE review on eDNA is now out. Entitled “Environmental DNA for wildlife biology and biodiversity monitoring”, the review provides a timely overview of the emerging field of eDNA analyses for both practical and blue skies research. Thanks for all the hard work guys and look forward to more. Reprints will be available from any of the group members by request where necessary.

Publication date: 14 May 2014

MEFGL research confirms: invasive toad likely to harm Madagascar’s biodiversity

Invasive Asian toads have become estalbished in Madagascar over the last 8-10 years, promtping fears that native predators could be poisoned by their skin toxins. New research shows that these fears are justified: virtually all Madagascar’s endemic predators are highly sensitive to toad skin toxins.

Publication date: 6 June 2018

MEFGL researchers scoop cover of Science!

Wolfgang Wüster and several MEFGL Masters students were among the authors of an international study published in Science, and featured on a striking front cover of the Magazine!

Publication date: 26 January 2021

MEFGL to host International Conference on Fish Genomics and Evolution in July 2016

Professor Gary Carvalho of the Molecular Ecology & Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL) at Bangor University is convening a major international conference in 2016 entitled: Fish, Genes & Genomes: Contributions to Ecology, Evolution & Management.

Publication date: 22 July 2015

NBAF Biolinux training day

16 Bangor staff, PDRAs and students and 4 PhD students from Aberystwyth spent the day with NERC NBAF staff being immersed in the Biolinux distribution, buffing up on linux basics and seeing/practising using QIIME and local blast environments.

Publication date: 15 July 2013

NERC DTP Studentship available! Aerial pollen biodiversity and health

We are advertising for a PhD opportunity to be hosted in the Molecular Ecology & Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL), at Bangor University ( http://mefgl.bangor.ac.uk/ ) to commence in October 2017.

Publication date: 30 May 2017

NERC ENVISION Doctoral Training Program competitive fully funded PhD studentship now available!

We are delighted to report that the MEFGL will be recruiting for a new NERC ENVISION PhD candidate to pursue a 3.5 year research program, starting Autumn 2017.

Publication date: 19 October 2016

NERC PollerGEN partner Met Office Rachel McInnes blogs about 'what is causing my hay fever?'

Enhanced UK vegetation maps bring us a step closer to linking the aerial transit of grass pollen from source to deposition site

Publication date: 18 July 2017

New ICES Training Course co-convened by Gary Carvalho: Genomics in Support of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

For the first time, ICES training portfolio offers a course on the design and application of genomics in management and conservation of fisheries and aquaculture.

Publication date: 5 March 2018

New PhD opportunity available to UK/EU Nationals in the MEFGL, Bangor: Defining Management Units in Commercial Fish Species

Find more information here .

Publication date: 30 May 2018

New faculty hire in MolEcol/Genomics, closing date 30th September!

The School of Biological Sciences is commencing a search for a Lecturer in Molecular Ecology and Genomics at grade 7 or 8 level, depending on experience and career stage.

Publication date: 6 September 2016

New faculty hire opportunity in MolEcol/Genomics, closing date 30th July!

The MEFGL is seeking a new team member/collaborator to join existing faculty and strengthen research and teaching capability.

Publication date: 10 July 2018

New means of safeguarding world fish stocks proven

Powerful and versatile new genetic tools that will assist in safeguarding both European fish stocks and European consumers is reported in Nature Communications (DOI 10.1038/ncomms1845 22/05/12). The paper reports on the first system proven to identify populations of fish species to a forensic level of validation.

Publication date: 22 May 2012

New more efficient method of sampling biodiversity showcased in major UK estuaries

Two of the UK’s major estuaries have proved to be a successful testing-ground for an effective new method of ‘health-checking’ aquatic biodiversity, which could lead to faster and more efficient sampling for other sites. “Bio-monitoring” or assessing the impacts of human activities in the natural environment is often achieved by monitoring biological diversity. Existing methods rely on manual identification, but that takes time, resources and often focuses on larger creatures, that sometimes may not be able to reflect accurately the health of particular habitats.

Publication date: 9 February 2015

New £1.2M NERC Grant Aims to Revolutionise Pollen Forecasting

A team of researchers are developing a new generation of pollen monitoring which they hope will lead to improved forecasts for thousands of the UK population suffering from summer allergies.

Publication date: 20 October 2015

Ph.D success for Andy

Andy Briscoe successfully defended his Ph.D. last Friday. Andy is due to start a postdoctoral research position with a number of investigators from the Natural History Museum.

Publication date: 15 July 2013

PollerGEN partners reveal link between pollen and increased hospital admissions in London

Asthma and allergies are some of the most common diseases in many countries globally. UK figures for asthma and hay fever were amongst some of the highest in the world, with one-in-five 6-7-year-olds having asthma and one-in-ten having hay fever.

Publication date: 21 June 2017

Pollution from source to cetaceans: PhD opportunity at Bangor University open for applications now!

This project will addressing critical knowledge gaps in the persistence, accumulation, and impact of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in marine food chains.

Publication date: 6 December 2023

Postdoctoral position at Aberystwyth University, working with PollerGEN, is now available!

Application deadline is 28 th February 2017 and provisional interview date is Wed 15 th March 2017. If interested contact Gareth Griffith , Natasha De Vere , Matthew Hegarty or Simon Creer .

Publication date: 14 February 2017

Professor John Harper Research Fund in Plant Ecology Awarded to MSc by Research in Biological Sciences student: Anna Gwyneth Egerton

The “Professor John Harper Research Fund in Plant Ecology” has been awarded to the Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL) postgraduate research student, Anna Gwyneth Egerton

Publication date: 27 September 2018

Recent MEFGL Success

MZool Chris Brodie has recently been successful in his application for a PhD position at the Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre , Salford University .

Publication date: 14 May 2018

School of Biological Sciences are hiring faculty, closing date 10th August!

The School of Biological Sciences is currently hiring 3 permanent faculty positions at the Lecturer level. In particular, the MEFGL will be seeking new team members and collaborators to join existing faculty and strengthen research capability

Publication date: 17 July 2015

Si’s perspective on marine microscopic macroecology and eDNA in NERC’s Autumn Planet Earth magazine

Sequencing billions of creatures between trillions of grains of sand.

Publication date: 28 September 2015

Spring welcomes two new NERC PostDocs to the group!

Following a busy year of grant capture, the MEFGL welcomes two new NERC Post Doctoral researchers to the group.

Publication date: 19 April 2016

Summer of Viva Celebrations!

A big congratulation to our MEEB members who successfully passed their Viva’s over the last few months, it has been a time for celebration, cheer, and fabulous cakes for the whole MEEB group!

Publication date: 9 August 2023

Three NERC ENVISION PhD students Join MEEB

MEEB are happy to welcome three new NERC ENVISION PhD students this October!

Publication date: 6 October 2023

Three new Bangor academics among Sêr Cymru talent welcomed by Minister

Three new Bangor University academics were among the latest tranche of international research Fellows and Chairs welcomed to Wales at a special reception in Cardiff last night [27 February 2017] to celebrate Sêr Cymru investments and the start of the second phase of the programme.

Publication date: 28 February 2017

Two MEFGL NERC ENVISION Phd opportunities now recruiting!

NERC ENVISION Doctoral Training Program competitive fully funded PhD studentships now available!

Publication date: 4 December 2015

UK Covid-19 Lockdown awareness and highlights from the group

In what has been a challenging time for the UK and all of the MEFGL team, it is important to reflect on achievements and positivity emerging in what is still a period of global uncertainty, whilst many of us are still working from home.

Publication date: 14 July 2020

Urgent action required to stop irreversible genetic changes to fish stocks

If we are to sustain fish as a global food source, then fisheries and conservation managers need to take account of new evidence showing how overfishing of the larger fish in a population actually changes the gene pool in favour of smaller less fertile fish. A paper in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (available online from 18.3.13) led by fish geneticists at Bangor University, with contributions from the University of East Anglia, the University of the West Indies and the Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, has proved for the first time that the change towards smaller fish takes place at the DNA level, and within a relatively short time period of a few generations.

Publication date: 18 March 2013

We're working on a more accurate pollen forecasting system using plant DNA

Most people enjoy the warmer, longer days that summer months bring – but plant allergy sufferers will have mixed emotions. Roughly one in five Europeans suffers from allergic reactions to tree, grass and weed pollen causing pollinosis, hay fever and allergic asthma . This article by Simon Creer , Professor in Molecular Ecology, School of Biological Sciences and Georgina Brennan , Postdoctoral Research Officer, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 21 June 2018

Welcome to Amy and Aaron, two new MEFGL faculty members in 2019!

As the 2019 semester one looms, we would like to belatedly, but officially warmly welcome two new MEFGL faculty members to the team!

Publication date: 30 August 2019

Welcome to Andy Foote on his prestigious Marie Skłodowska Curie COFUND Fellowship!

Dr. Andy Foote joins the MEFGL supported by Marie Skłodowska Curie COFUND Fellowship. Following a late autumn arrival and a number of overseas trips, we are excited to officially welcome Dr Andy Foote, who is joining the MEFGL, supported by a prestigious Marie Skłodowska Curie COFUND Fellowship. Andy joined us from the Excoffier lab in Bern, Switzerland and previously a number of labs around Europe, including the Gilbert lab in Copenhagen.

Publication date: 24 January 2017

Welcome to Bethan Pugh, KESS MScRes using eDNA to study mink control in Welsh waterways!

The group would like to welcome Bethan Pugh, who will be joining the MEFGL from this week.

Publication date: 5 February 2020

Wendy Grail receives award from Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Hughes

Congratulations or "Llongyfarchiadau" to Wendy Grail, our wonderful and dedicated Laboratory Manager ...

Publication date: 5 February 2014

Will's animation wins NERC Envision DTP competition

Publication date: 14 May 2018

Wishing Iliana and Caitlin the best for their new PostDocs!

After both completing their PhDs in 2016, we wish Iliana Bista and Caitlin Potter the very best for their new Post Doctoral positions!

Publication date: 25 May 2017

Wishing Martin Llewellyn all the best as he develops his research group at Glasgow University!

Following a productive research period investigating the dynamics of parasites and human epidemiology, Martin Llewellyn joined the group ca. 2012, to undertake a Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellowship researching parasite host interactions in aquaculture species.

Publication date: 30 September 2016