BSc (Hons) Bi Med Science:
Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences
Provided by the School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences,
University of Hull
2016 intake
Study themes:
Cancer biology
Cardiology
Molecular aspects of disease
Genetics
Fertility and developmental biology
Medical microbiology
Information about the School:
The School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences at Hull offers a wide range
of degrees including biomedical science, biology, biology with molecular bioscience and
human biology as well as zoology, aquatic zoology and marine and freshwater biology. The
biomedical science degree in particular has proved extremely popular and has met a need
within the health service for training scientists for work within a hospital environment.
The degrees offered in the School reflect the research interests of the staff, which are broadly
divided into marine and freshwater biology, ecology and evolution, and molecular and cellular
biosciences. Of particular interest to potential intercalating students is the molecular and
cellular biosciences research. This encompasses a variety of topics including the processes
involved in heart failure, cancer immunology, cancer diagnosis, cancer chemotherapy, and
medical microbiology. The focus on high quality research in the School is delivering powerful
insights into fundamental biological questions, as well as translational research with clear
implications for medicine. Key to these advances is our ability to study biological processes at
the molecular and cellular levels, and thus provide the mechanistic understanding to underpin
the design of new diagnostic tools and treatments.
Over the past few years there has been considerable investment into upgrading the facilities
within the School. This includes the refurbishment of teaching and research laboratories and
the opening in 2012 of the new Biomedical Science building, the Allam building. This
investment in infrastructure has been coupled with recruitment to a number of new
appointments thus strengthening the Schools research profile.
The intercalated degree with HYMS will allow students to do an intensive research project in
the laboratory, providing firsthand insight into the problem solving and organisational skills
required in doing research. An indication of the research topics in the department can be
found by looking at the research interests of the staff below.
In addition, lecture courses offer the students the opportunity to broaden and strengthen their
biological knowledge and understanding, providing a powerful complement to their medical
training.
Research project supervisors relevant to medicine and indicative project themes:
Cancer biology
Dr Lynn Cawkwell
Prof John Greenman
Dr Steven Maher
Dr Isabel Pires
Dr Elena Rosca
Dr Justin Sturge
Dr Jennifer Waby
Identification of novel cancer biomarkers by proteomics
Tumour biology (genetics, cytogenetics, immunology)
Gastrointestinal cancer biology and anti-cancer therapeutics
Novel regulators of the aspect of the tumour microenviroment
Rational design approaches for targeting cancer and immune cells
Prostate cancer
The Sp1 transcription factors and their role in cancer and the cell cycle
Cardiology
Mr Ian Chetter
Dr Chris Cawthorne
Dr Charlotte Dyer
Dr Sandra Jones
Dr Anne-Marie Seymour
Dr Shang-Zhong Xu
Assessment of vascular surgery procedures
Validation of molecular imaging agents
Lab on a chip technology and diagnosis of disease
Cardiology and aging
Cardiac hypertrophy and cellular remodeling of the heart
Identification of ion channel genes in the cardiovascular system
Molecular aspects of disease
Dr Camille Ettelaie
Dr Rebecca Hill
Prof Khalid Naseem
Dr Francisco Rivero
Dr Elena Rosca
Dr Laura Sadofsky
Dr Graeme Stasiuk
Cancer biology, metastasis, angiogenesis
Diabetic neuropathies
Thrombosis and platelet function in health and disease
The actin cytoskeleton in health and disease
Cancer immunobiology
Molecular pharmacology of ion channels
Design and synthesis of contrast agents for biological imaging
Genetics
Dr Heather Sealy-Lewis
Dr Lori Lawson-Handley
Dr Isabella Capellini
Gene regulation in Aspergillus nidulans
Genetic diversity in human populations
Macro-evolutionary patterns and processes of adaptation in mammals
Fertility and Developmental biology
Dr Roger Sturmey
Metabolic events in early development
Medical Microbiology
Dr Gavin Paterson
Dr Frank Voncken
Mrs Chris Murphy
Bacterial pathogens and clinical microbiology
Energy metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei
Clinical microbiology and infection control
Research project supervisors, affiliation, and e-mail addresses
Dr Lynn Cawkwell
Mr Ian Chetter
Dr Isabella Capellini
Dr Chris Cawthorne
Dr Charlotte Dyer
Dr Camille Ettelaie
Prof John Greenman
Dr Sandra Jones
Dr Lori Lawson-Handley
Dr Rebecca Hill
Prof Khalid Naseem
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Hull Royal Infirmary
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l.cawkwell@hull.ac.uk
Ian.chetter@hey.nhs.uk
i.capellini@hull.ac.uk
c.cawthorne@hull.ac.uk
c.e.dyer@hull.ac.uk
c.ettelaie@hull.ac.uk
j.greenman@hull.ac.uk
s.a.jones@hull.ac.uk
l.lawson-handley@hull.ac.uk
r.e.hill@hull.ac.uk
khalid.naseem@hyms.ac.uk
Dr Steven Maher
Mrs Chris Murphy
Dr Gavin Paterson
Dr Isabel Pires
Dr Francisco Rivero
Dr Elena Rosca
Dr Laura Sadofsky
Dr Heather Sealy-Lewis
Dr Anne-Marie Seymour
Dr Graeme Stasiuk
Dr Justin Sturge
Dr Roger Sturmey
Dr Frank Voncken
Dr Jennifer Waby
Dr Shang-Zhong Xu
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s.maher@hull.ac.uk
c.murphy@hull.ac.uk
g.paterson@hull.ac.uk
I.pires@hull.ac.uk
francisco.rivero@hyms.ac.uk
e.rosca@hull.ac.uk
l.r.sadofsky@hull.ac.uk
h.m.sealy-lewis@hull.ac.uk
a.m.seymour@hull.ac.uk
g.stasiuk@hull.ac.uk
j.sturge@hull.ac.uk
r.sturmey@hull.ac.uk
f.voncken@hull.ac.uk
j.waby@hull.ac.uk
s.xu@hull.ac.uk
Programme coordinator: Dr Gavin Paterson (g.paterson@hull.ac.uk)
Below are the staff in the School of Biological Biomedical and Environmental Sciences,
including those whose research interests are outwith the medical-related themes detailed
above.
Academic staff & research interests in the School of Biological Biomedical and
Environmental Biological Sciences
Thomas Breithaupt, Lecturer: Chemical ecology of marine invertebrates.
Isabella Capellini, Lecturer: Macro-evolutionary patterns and processes of adaptation in
mammals. Integration of the study of morphology, physiology, behaviour and ecology to
understand the evolution of mammalian reproduction and life histories, sleep physiology,
hibernation and lifespan.
Lynn Cawkwell, Senior Lecturer: Cancer biology proteomics.
Christpher Cawthorne, Lecturer: Research is focused on the preclinical development of
novel imaging biomarkers using Positron Emission Tomography, primarily in oncology. When
translated into patients, such agents aim to both aid stratification for targeted therapies as well
as to improve the time taken to assess therapeutic efficacy.
Charlotte Dyer, Lecturer: Lab on a chip technologies for the diagnosis of disease
Mike Elliott, Professor, Director of Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies: Biology of
estuarine and coastal fish and benthic organisms; ecotoxicology at the individual-organism,
population and community level.
Roland Ennos, Professor: Engineering of plant and animal structures and on how
vegetation can improve the urban environment.
Camille Ettelaie, Lecturer: Blood coagulation, thrombosis and haemostasis, mainly
concerning cardiovascular disease.
Darren Evans, Lecturer: Impacts of environmental change on the structure and dynamics of
ecological networks and the consequences for plant and animal populations. Also terrestrial
systems with a focus on food-webs that include plants, insects, mammals and birds.
Africa Gomez, Lecturer: Evolutionary ecology of aquatic invertebrates with an emphasis on
sexual/asexual mode.
John Greenman, Professor and Head of School: Tumour immunology, cancer genetics,
prognostic and diagnostic factors.
Jorg Hardege, Reader: Reproductive biology and chemical ecology of marine invertebrates.
Rebecca Hill, Lecturer: Connective tissue changes in diabetic neuropathy
Sandra Jones, Lecturer: Changes in the ageing heart; the intervention of exercise; in terms
of ion channel expression and regulation of cell signalling.
Domino Joyce, Lecturer: Mechanisms that shape biodiversity; from the effects of selection at
individual loci, to the behavioural aspects of mate preference which may cause populations to
diverge, and also the larger scale genomic processes involved in adaptive radiations.
Lori Lawson-Handley, Lecturer: Human migration and settlement history.
David Lunt, Senior Lecturer: Evolutionary genetics; phylogeography; molecular systematics
of invertebrates.
Stephen Maher, Senior Lecturer: Translational gastrointestinal cancer biology and anticancer therapeutics with a special interest in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, pre-malignant
Barrett’s oesophagus and radio-resistance.
Chris Murphy, University Teaching Fellow: Mrs Murphy is a clinical microbiologist whose
main interest lies in aspects of Infection Control centered mainly around MRSA. In addition
she is interested and concerned with professional training for Biomedical Scientists and has
been a registered BMS for 19 years, with major roles in both quality and training.
Lesley Morrell, Lecturer: Behavioural ecology; evolution of animal aggregation; anti-predator
behaviour; colour and behaviour; early experience and phenotypic plasticity.
Gavin Paterson, Lecturer: Bacterial pathogens; primarily Streptococcus pneumoniae,
salmonellae and staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA). A range
of topics related to these organisms including bacterial - host pathogens interactions,
molecular epidemiology, genomics and antimicrobial resistance.
Isabel Pires, Lecturer: Regions of low oxygen or hypoxia occur In all solid tumours and are
associated with increased malignancy, resistance to therapy and metastatic potential. My
group is interested in investigating novel regulators of this aspect of the tumour
microenvironment, particularly regarding the cellular motility of invasion.
Eleanor Rosca, Lecturer: Using novel approaches such as micro-fluidic chambers to
replicate conditions of the tumour microenvironment and nanoparticles (i.e. liposomes) to
trigger specific cellular responses, we can investigate how to specifically modulate the
immune response to specifically target cancerous cells.
Jeanette Rotchell: Professor: Molecular ecotoxicology in marine environments
Graham Scott, Senior Lecturer: Bird behaviour; the evolutionary ecology of the fucoid
algae.
Laura Sadofsky: My research focuses on the molecular pharmacology of TRPA1, TRPV1
and TRPM8 (transient receptor potential ankyrin-1, vanilloid-1 and melastatin-8).
Heather Sealy-Lewis, Lecturer: Regulation of gene expression in the filamentous fungus,
Aspergillus nidulans with special interest in the ethanol utilisation regulon, and carbon
catabolite repression.
Anne-Marie Seymour, Reader: Biochemical adaptation in cardiac hypertrophy and heart
failure using the non-invasive techniques of magnetic resonance spectroscopy; the
relationship between heart metabolism and abnormal physiological function and dietary
therapeutic treatments; biochemical comparisons between the ageing heart and heart failure.
Graeme Stasiuk, Lecturer: Molecular imaging: provides a view of the body at the cellular and
sub-cellular level, enabling dynamic visualization of key biological processes within the cell or
body. The research in my laboratory is focused on the development of novel contrast agents
for use with imaging approaches such as positron emission tomography (PET), single photon
emission computed tomography (SPECT), X-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and
magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Specific research areas include multimodal contrast
agents, zinc sensing probes and gallium-68 probes for cancer imaging.
Justin Sturge, Senior Lecturer: Research is focused on defining the complex biophysical
and molecular networks that exist between cancer cells and the surrounding stroma in primary
prostrate and breast carcinoma and their secondary lesions in bone.
Frank Voncken, Lecturer: The focus of our research is the unique energy metabolism of the
human and veterinary pathogen Trypanosoma brucei, and the functional characterisation of
mitochondrial and peroxisomal (glycosomal) metabolite transporters. The obtained results will
lead to: a better understanding of the energy metabolism of the parasite, the design of more
effective anti-parasitic drugs, and the functional identification of corresponding human
metabolite transporters related to different metabolic diseases.
Jennifer Waby, Lecturer: The role of the Sp family of transcription factors in cell cycle
control and cancer. Regulation of Sp transcription factor activity by post translational
modifications.