Staff Profile - Nicola Beresford

I started working at Brunel University in 1996, after completing a Masters course at Napier University. I work in the field of ecotoxicology, and have been involved with a number of different grants, using a wide variety of techniques. In addition to doing research work, I provide laboratory support for staff, visitors and students, and I manage and maintain our ecotoxicology laboratories. I also carry out contract work for external organisations.

Qualifications

• 1994-1995: MSc. Biology of Water Resource Management, Napier University
• 1979-1983: BSc. Applied Biology, Brunel University

Career

• 1996 - present: Senior Research Technician, Institute for the Environment, Brunel University
• 1985 - 1988: Research Assistant, Immunology Department, Liverpool University, Liverpool
• 1984 - 1985: Research Technician, Zoology Department, Oxford University, Oxford

I have been involved with a number of different grants, including:

BBSRC grant - Characterisation and Functional Role of Novel Oestrogen Receptors in the Prosobranch Mollusc Marisa cornuarietis

DEFRA grant - Assessing the impact of endocrine disrupters in the aquatic environment on British Frogs and Toads

EU grant - Exploring Novel Endpoints, Exposure, Low-dose- and Mixture-Effects in Humans, Aquatic Wildlife and Laboratory Animals

EU grant - Comparative research on endocrine disruptors

NERC grant - Confounding Factors in the Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Estrogenic Chemicals

Recent contract work includes a survey of endocrine disruption in wild Black Bream for Melbourne Water, Australia. I have also completed a number of fish exposure studies to test for the removal of endocrine disruptors from sewage effluents as part of the Environment Agency’s Demonstration Programme.

Publications

Recent publications include:

Brian, J.V., Beresford, N., Walker, J., Pojana, G., Fantinati, A., Marcomini, A. & Sumpter, J.P. (2009) Hypoxia does not influence the response of fish to a mixture of estrogenic chemicals Environmental Science & Technology 43 (1) 214-218.

Bannister, R., Beresford, N., May, D., Routledge, E.J., Jobling, S. & Rand-Weaver, M. (2007) Novel estrogen receptor-related transcripts in Marisa cornuarietis; a freshwater snail with reported sensitivity to estrogenic chemicals Environmental Science & Technology 41 (7) 2643-2650.

Beresford, N., Jobling, S., Williams, R. & Sumpter, J.P. (2004). Endocrine disruption in juvenile roach from English rivers: a preliminary study. Journal of Fish Biology 64, 580-586.

Jobling, S., Beresford, N., Nolan, M., Rogers-Gray, T., Tyler, C.R. & Sumpter, J.P. (2002). Altered sexual maturation and gamete production in wild roach (Rutilus rutilus) living in rivers that receive treated sewage effluents. Biology of Reproduction 66, 272-281.

Tyler, C.R., Beresford, N., van der Woning, M., Sumpter, J.P. & Thorpe, K. (2000). Metabolism and environmental degradation of pyrethroid insecticides produce compounds with endocrine activities. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19, 801-809.

Beresford, N., Routledge, E.J., Harris, C.A. & Sumpter, J.P. (2000). Issues arising when interpreting results from an in vitro assay for estrogenic activity. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 162, 22-33.