Curriculum Vitae
- 2018–Present: PhD Researcher, NC3R funded, Institute of Zoology, Royal Veterinary College and Imperial College London
- 2018: Research Technician (NERC funded), Institute of Zoology
- 2017: Animal Instructor, Berkshire Agricultural College
- 2014–2017: Research Technician (NERC funded), Institute of Zoology, Imperial College London
- 2014–2017: HOLC (Home Office Liaison contact), Institute of Zoology
- 2012–2014: Research Assistant (BBRSC funded), University of Sheffield
- 2011: Postgraduate Research Assistant (Vodafone funded): Institute of Zoology
- 2010: Postgraduate Research Assistant: Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of Ornithology. South Africa
- 2008–2009: MSc: Royal Veterinary College/Institute of Zoology, London
- 2003–2006: BSc: Kings College London
Research Interests
Improving our knowledge and application of welfare assessments for animals used with laboratory research. Exploring and applying new areas of research to reduce if not eliminate amphibians from live animal experiments.
Current Research
To examine how the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement and Replacement in animal research) can be integrated into amphibian disease research to better improve our findings, reduce (if not replace) the use of animals, as well as enhancing our knowledge and understanding of amphibian care and how to recognise signs of pain in order to improve welfare standards.
I plan to identify and define behavioural and physical characteristics that can be used as indicators of disease progression in order to identify early onset of either ranavirosis or chytridiomycosis development in the host through observations alone and then be able to intervene before the effects become fatal.
I also hope to address new techniques that would completely remove the need to use live animals in amphibian disease investigations. For example, can Organ-On-Chip technology be developed for the work we do, and if it can, what kind of information can we generate? Can pathogens be studied in culture and generate the same results as live animal experiments?
Previous Research
After working in a theoretical research group at Sheffield University on sperm competition I moved back to London and started my journey with amphibian disease research. Under the direction of Prof Trent Garner and Prof Mat Fisher, I spent 5 years working with amphibians and learning the evolution, biological effects and diagnostic techniques for two different amphibian diseases caused by chytrid fungi and ranavirus.
Supervisors
Prof Trenton Garner (primary supervisor)
Dr Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Royal Veterinary College (joint 2nd supervisor)
Prof Mat Fisher, Imperial College London (joint 2nd supervisor)
Dr Becki Lawson ( 2nd internal supervisor)
Publications
Brod S, Brookes L, Garner TWJ. Discussing the future of amphibians in research. Report of the NC3Rs/ZSL Workshop on Amphibian Welfare. Lab Animal. 05 November 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-018-0193-6
Fisher MC, Ghosh P, Shelton JMG, Bates K, Brookes L, Wierzbicki C, Rosa GM, Farrer RA, Aanensen DM, Alvarado-Rybak M, Bataille A, Berger L, Boell S, Bosch J, Clare FC, Courtois EA, Crottini A, Cunningham AA, Doherty-Bone TM, Gebresenbet F, Gower DJ, Hoglund J, James TY, Jenkinson TS, Kosch TA, Lambertini C, Laurila A, Lin C-F, Loyau A, Martel A, Meurling S, Miaud C, Minting P, Ndriantsoa S, O'Hanlon SJ, Pasmans F, Rakotonanahary T, Rabemananjara FCE, Ribeiro LP, Schmeller DS, Schmidt BR, Skerratt L, Smith F, Soto-Azat C, Tessa G, Toledo LF, Valenzuela-Sanchez A, Verster R, Voeroes J, Waldman B, Webb RJ, Weldon C, Wombwell E, Zamudio KR, Longcore JE, Garner TWJ , 2018, Development and worldwide use of non-lethal, and minimal population-level impact, protocols for the isolation of amphibian chytrid fungi, Scientific Reports 8, ISSN:2045-2322
O'Hanlon SJ, Rieux A, Farrer RA, Rosa GM, Waldman B, Bataille A, Kosch TA, Murray KA, Brankovics B, Fumagalli M, Martin MD, Wales N, Alvarado-Rybak M, Bates KA, Berger L, Boell S, Brookes L, Clare F, Courtois EA, Cunningham AA, Doherty-Bone TM, Ghosh P, Gower DJ, Hintz WE, Hoglund J, Jenkinson TS, Lin C-F, Laurila A, Loyau A, Martel A, Meurling S, Miaud C, Minting P, Pasmans F, Schmeller DS, Schmidt BR, Shelton JMG, Skerratt LF, Smith F, Soto-Azat C, Spagnoletti M, Tessa G, Toledo LF, Valenzuela-Sanchez A, Verster R, Voros J, Webb RJ, Wierzbicki C, Wombwell E, Zamudio KR, Aanensen DM, James TY, Gilbert MTP, Weldon C, Bosch J, Balloux F, Garner TWJ, Fisher MC , 2018. Recent Asian origin of chytrid fungi causing global amphibian declines, Science, 360, ISSN:0036-8075.
Bates K, Clare FC, O’Hanlon S, Bosch J, Brookes L, Hopkins K, Mclaughlin E, Daniel O, Garner TWJ, Fisher MC,Harrison XA (2018). Amphibian chytridiomycosis outbreak dynamics are linked with host skin bacterial community structure. Nature Communications https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-02967-w
Kang-Wook K, Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Hurley L.L, Griffith S.C, Burke T, Birkhead T.R and Slate J. A sex-linked supergene controls sperm morphology and swimming speed in a songbird. Nature Ecology & Evolution. July 2017. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0235-2.
Benjamin Tapley, Jon Bielby, Monika Böhm , Lola Brookes, Tyrone Capel, Joe Smiley Capon-Doyle, Shu Chen, Alex Cliffe, Lisa Clifforde, Olivia Couchman, Andrew A. Cunningham, Yedra Feltrer, Amanda Ferguson, Edmund Flach, Martin Franklin, Trenton W.J. Garner, Iri Gill, Claudia L. Gray, Rikki Gumbs, Amanda Guthrie, Jenny Jaffe, Stephanie Jayson, Luke Harding, Mike Hudson, Daniel Kane, Jo Korn, Becki Lawson, Heather Macintosh, Nic Masters, Thomas Maunders, Fieke Molenaar, Christopher J Michaels, Trevor Moxey, Cassandra Murray, Nisha Owen, Paul Pearce-Kelly, Matthew Rendle, Tony Sainsbury, Chris Sergeant, Francesca Servini, Sophie Sparrow, Taina Strike, Sarah Thomas and Samuel Turvey. 2010. Zoological Society of London: contributions towards advancing the field of herpetology through conservation, research, captive management and education. The Herpetological Bulletin 139, 2017: 1-6.
Bennison C, Hemmings N, Brookes L, Slate J, Birkhead T. 2016 Sperm morphology, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration and swimming velocity: unexpected relationships in a passerine bird. Proc. R. Soc. B 283: 20161558.
