I work part-time, generally between Wednesday and Friday.

My research interests focus on the role of natural selection in population adaptation and divergence, to which have I applied a wide range of methods including multivariate morphometrics, statistical hypothesis-testing, innovative field experiments and genome analysis. My two main areas of research focus on Anolis lizards in the Caribbean and Asian pit vipers, which are unified by being essentially focussed on the interface between evolution and ecology, and with an emphasis on the integration of genetic and phenetic data.

Another strand to this research on venomous snakes involves snakebite mitigation, and I am currently involved in several projects in India, dubbed the "snakebite capital of the world", where c. 50,000 people die from snakebite every year and many more suffer permanent disability. Together with partners in India, our work ranges from mapping the distribution and genetic and venom variation present in venomous species across the country, to undertaking rescuer training and education and awareness programs. We are particularly focussing on the Himalayan and northeastern region, which belong to biodiversity "hotspots" but are relatively understudied. The venomous species in these regions are diferent to the rest of the country, and are not covered by the currently available polyvalent antivenom.

I have also been involved in research on the genetic health of honeybees and other pollinators in the past. 

As I am now partially retired, I am particularly interested in forming collaborations to leverage the 2000+ samples in my collection of both Lesser Antillean lizards and Asian pitvipers, accompanied in most cases by detailed morphological data, photographs, and in the case of the pitvipers, venom samples. Please contact me if interested. 

Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor

Whole genome sequencing approaches to systematics and evolution of Asian pitvipers, Integrative taxonomy, historical biogeography and venom evolution of Asian pitvipers