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

Research Interests

Research Activity

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

Journal Papers

(2011) Brian, JV., Beresford, N., Margiotta-Casaluci, L. and Sumpter, JP., Preliminary data on the influence of rearing temperature on the growth and reproductive status of fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, Journal of Fish Biology 79 (1) : 80- 88 Download publication

(2011) Beresford, N., Brian, JV., Runnalls, TJ., Sumpter, JP. and Jobling, S., Estrogenic activity of tropical fish food can alter baseline vitellogenin concentrations in male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 30 (5) : 1139- 1145 Download publication

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

(2007) Rand-Weaver, M., Bannister, R., Beresford, N., May, D. and Routledge, EJ., Novel estrogen receptor-related transcripts in Marisa cornuarietis: A freshwater snail with reported sensitivity to estrogenic chemicals, Environmental Science and Technology 41 (7) : 2643- 2650

(2004) Beresford, N., Jobling, S., Williams, R. and Sumpter, JP., Endocrine disruption in juvenile roach from English rivers: A preliminary study, Journal of Fish Biology 64 (2) : 580- 586 Download publication

(2002) Jobling, S., Beresford, N., Nolan, M., Rodgers-Gray, T., Brighty, GC., Sumpter, JP. and Tyler, CR., Altered sexual maturation and gamete production in wild roach (rutilus rutilus) living in rivers that receive treated sewage effluents, Biology of Reproduction 66 (2) : 272- 281

(2002) Jobling, S., Coey, S., Whitmore, JG., Kime, DE., Van Look, KJW., McAllister, BG., Beresford, N., Henshaw, AC., Brighty, G., Tyler, CR. and Sumpter, JP., Wild intersex roach (rutilus rutilus) have reduced fertility, Biology of Reproduction 67 (2) : 515- 524

(2001) Miller, D., Wheals, BB., Beresford, N. and Sumpter, JP., Estrogenic activity of phenolic additives determined by an in vitro yeast bioassay, Environmental Health Perspectives 109 (2) : 133- 138 Download publication

(2000) Tyler, CR., Beresford, N., Van der Woning, M., Sumpter, JP. and Thorpe, K., Metabolism and environmental degradation of pyrethroid insecticides produce compounds with endocrine activities, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19 (4) : 801- 809

(2000) Beresford, N., Routledge, EJ., Harris, CA. and Sumpter, JP., Issues arising when interpreting results from an in vitro assay for estrogenic activity, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 162 (1) : 22- 33 Download publication

(1999) Andersen, HR., Andersson, AM., Arnold, SF., Autrup, H., Barfoed, M., Beresford, NA., Bjerregaard, P., Christiansen, LB., Gissel, B., Hummel, R., Jørgensen, EB., Korsgaard, B., Le, GR., Leffers, H., McLachlan, J., Møller, A., Nielsen, JB., Olea, N., Oles-Karasko, A., Pakdel, F., Pedersen, KL., Perez, P., Skakkebœk, NE., Sonnenschein, C., Soto, AM., Sumpter, JP., Thorpe, SM. and Grandjean, P., Comparison of short-term estrogenicity tests for identification of hormone-disrupting chemicals, Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements 107 (S1) : 89- 108 Download publication

(1999) Ashby, J., Tinwell, H., Pennie, W., Brooks, AN., Lefevre, PA., Beresford, N. and Sumpter, JP., Partial and weak oestrogenicity of the red wine constituent resveratrol: consideration of its superagonist activity in MCF-7 cells and its suggested cardiovascular protective effects, Journal of Applied Toxicology 19 (1) : 39- 45

(1999) Panter, GH., Thompson, RS., Beresford, N. and Sumpter, JP., Transformation of a non-oestrogenic steroid metabolite to an oestrogenically active substance by minimal bacterial activity, Chemosphere 38 (15) : 3579- 3596

(1997) Odum, J., Lefevre, PA., Tittensor, S., Paton, D., Routledge, EJ., Beresford, NA., Sumpter, JP. and Ashby, J., The rodent uterotrophic assay: Critical protocol features, studies with nonyl phenols, and comparison with a yeast estrogenicity assay, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 25 (2) : 176- 188 Download publication

(1997) Ashby, J., Lefevre, PA., Odum, J., Tinwell, H., Kennedy, SJ., Beresford, N. and Sumpter, JP., Failure to confirm estrogenic activity for benzoic acid and clofibrate: Implications for lists of endocrine-disrupting agents, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 26 (1) : 96- 101