Biological Sciences

Biology

The final year project will be one of the most exciting parts of your degree. Below are some of research topics of previous students. Apart from projects in and around Portsmouth, you can also undertake projects abroad with various conservation and other non-governmental organizations such as Operation Wallacea and the Atlantic Whale Foundation. In addition, we have recently set up links with the (Falkland Islands Development Corporation) to investigate the potential of native species for aquaculture for these islands.

Ecology

  • Effects of pollutants on duck weed and fresh water shrimp in greenhouse cultures
  • Environmental conditions affecting spider communities
  • The bee fauna at the Isle of Wight
  • Sea grass ecology
  • Sediment meiofauna of a Brazilian beach

Environmental Impacts

  • Environmental fish survey of Langstone Harbour
  • Investigation of nutrient levels in coastal waters
  • Detection of toxic sediments using algae
  • Effects of human pharmaceuticals on crab physiology and biochemistry
  • Endocrine disruptors and their effects on invertebrates
  • Environmental impacts of bait collection

Aquatic Algal biology

  • Growth and spread of introduced seaweeds
  • The effects of salinity on reproduction in kelp species
  • The effect of pollutants on algal spore motility

Biotechnology

  • Colonization and decay of wood at sub-tidal sites
  • Protection of wood from decay
  • Algal spores as indicators of effectiveness of anti-fouling paints
  • Marine natural products with antibacterial activities

Invertebrate biology

  • Behaviour of juvenile cuttlefish
  • Cuttlefish sense organs
  • Behaviour of oyster larvae
  • Alien polychaetes in Langstone Harbour
  • Molecular biology of polychaetes
  • The effects of copper on invertebrate development
  • Alarm signalling in invertebrates
  • Distribution of Christmas tree worms in Honduras

Vertebrate biology

  • The structure of the shark nose
  • The structure of the shark brain
  • Salmon chemical signalling
  • Impacts of tourism on cetaceans in Tenerife

Microbiology

  • Microorganisms affecting the shelf life of packaged spinach
  • Air-borne microorganisms at a Heritage collection site
  • Sulphur oxidising bacteria on wood from the Mary Rose
  • Antibacterial activities of extracts of tropical plants
  • Antibacterial activities of extracts and compounds of marine algae
  • Bioactivity of marine-derived fungi
  • Interactions between salts and bacterial biofilms and the consequences for stone in historic buildings
  • An investigation of the insecticidal properties of Amanita muscaria as a method for controlling fly infestation of domestic rubbish
  • Microbiological investigations of the shelf-life of pre-packaged salads

Biochemistryand Molecular Biology

  • Mutagenesis of Histone Acetlytransferases
  • Characterisation of Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Biophysical and biochemical studies of Prions
  • dsRBDs in Xenopus development
  • The development of the Xenopus nervous system
  • The Role of Histone Acetyltransferases in Chicken Development
  • Cloning and expression analysis of developmental control genes in Xenopus
  • Characterisation of genes in the catshark, Scyliorhinus canicula
  • Cloning and expression of a truncated form of human histone H4