Centre members

my research focuses on sustainable solutions for resource and waste management, with a strong emphasis on circular economy strategies and sustainability assessment. i use a systems thinking approach (cvorr) to understand environmental challenges holistically and to identify points where practical interventions can generate the greatest value and impact. by considering not only environmental and engineering aspects but also social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions, my work highlights the multidimensional value of resource recovery systems. this approach helps create solutions that are technically sound, socially inclusive, and supportive of a faster transition to sustainability. my research is primarily desktop-based and centres on five key areas: plastic and plastic packaging systems – assessing sustainable pathways to circularity textiles management – advancing prevention and reuse in a sustainable society food waste management – addressing challenges for sustainable consumption and recovery construction components – promoting reuse and modular structures waste electrical and electronic equipment (weee) – repair, reuse, and circular strategies in addition, i examine the effects of technological and regulatory lock-ins, the role of stakeholders in sustainability transitions, and the impacts of informal recycling systems on society and the environment. i am also exploring how waste infrastructure can be tailored to area-specific contexts and how smart technologies can enable product and component tracking across the value chain. the ultimate goal of my research is to provide systemic and integrated sustainability assessments that support evidence-based policymaking, guide industry innovation, and foster academic collaboration. by applying systems thinking, i aim to reduce material leakage, extend product lifespans, and enhance resource efficiency, shaping a more resilient and sustainable future. my research interests lie at the intersection of sustainability, circular economy, and systems thinking. i am particularly interested in exploring strategies for resource-efficient system design, material circularity, and value recovery from industrial processes. i am also keen to investigate the integration of smart technologies and ai to enhance sustainability across value chains, as well as the regulatory, infrastructural, and stakeholder factors that influence the transition to a circular, resource-efficient economy. my research lies at the intersection of environmental management, the circular economy, and sustainability assessment. a defining feature of my work is the application of systems thinking to evaluate and enhance the sustainable management of resources and waste. key areas of inquiry include the circularity and sustainability of materials, components, and product systems; strategies for technology adaptation and infrastructure capacity assessment; and value recovery from industry to support the transition toward sustainable societies through reduction, repair, and reuse. beyond these, i investigate regulatory lock-ins, the role of stakeholders in sustainability transitions, and the integration of smart technologies and ai to track materials, components, and products across value chains in area-specific contexts. collectively, my research delivers integrated sustainability assessments that inform evidence-based policymaking, guide industry innovation, and accelerate the shift toward a more circular and resource-efficient economy. since joining brunel university in november 2018, i have contributed to teaching across the msc programme in environmental management (em), the msc programme in sustainability, entrepreneurship and design (sused), and the bsc programme in environmental sciences. from 2018 to 2025, i led the msc module environmental management and legislation, and from 2019 to 2025, i taught sustainable development and environmental governance at the bsc level (year 3). in 2025, i began leading the resources and waste management pathway within the newly developed msc in environmental management, where i oversee the newly established modules sustainability, policy and governance (msc em and sused) and natural resources and solid waste management. i also contribute to the total environment and environmental tools & methods modules (msc em). additionally, i serve as programme director for the msc sustainability, entrepreneurship and design, overseeing programme quality, curriculum development, and assessment processes.

i am an environmental scientist with background in natural resources management, environmental technology and policy. my research focuses on how urban water-cycle infrastructure influences pollutant pathways and environmental impacts, and on developing practical tools and methodologies that support proportionate, evidence-based, and cost-effective management responses. this includes translating complex environmental data into actionable insights that can inform strategic planning, regulatory compliance, investment prioritisation, and environmental risk management. before joining brunel, i was a postdoctoral research associate at imperial college london working in the nerc funded project “defining the amr burden of antimicrobial manufacturing waste in puducherry and chennai” (2019 - 2023) and in several anglian water funded projects (2018 - 2023) on the operation of the company’s combined sewer overflows (csos), the contaminants and risks associated with their discharges at receiving waters. during my doctoral research (2015 - 2019), i investigated strategies to adapt eu water policy and management to minimize the ecological and socio-economic consequences of water scarcity and ongoing global change. this research was conducted as part of the globaqua project, funded by the european commission’s seventh framework programme. experience lecturer in environmental sciences — brunel university of london — 01/11/2023–present honorary research fellow — imperial college london — 01/11/2023–29/05/2026 postdoctoral research associate — imperial college london — 01/08/2019–25/10/2023 research assistant — imperial college london — 01/04/2018–31/07/2019 doctoral researcher — imperial college london — 01/02/2015–31/03/2018 integrated water resources management geographic information systems water policy and governance circular economy in water sector emerging contaminants in the urban water cycle i am the module leader for integrated water resource management (es5632) and co-lead sustainability, policy and governance (es5630) on the msc environmental management programme. i also contribute teaching to environmental tools & methods (es5625/es5628) and the total environment (es5627) on the mres environmental science programme. in addition, i teach geographic information systems (gis) on undergraduate modules, including planet earth (gy16xx) and geographical research methods and gis (gy2601), which are delivered to first and second-year students on the bsc geography programme respectively. i supervise research students across phd, mres, msc, and bsc programmes.

i am a mathematician with a strong background in statistics and biology. my academic research has covered a wide range of areas, encompassing epidemiology, ecotoxicology, toxicology and pharmacology. having gained an international reputation for my research in biomathematics and statistics in various interdisciplinary international research projects, i can draw on a wide range of expertise and experience. since 2007 i am working mainly as an independent consultant, providing consultancy and training in biostatistics, biomathematics and data management to a broad client base in the uk and europe. my clients include industry, government, international organisations and the academic world. my aim is to make biostatistics accessible and effective as a tool to solve practical problems, based on sound statistical knowledge and modern developments in biostatistics and biomathematics. qualifications diploma in mathematics (major subject: statistics) prediploma in biology post-graduate qualification in epidemiology (german society for medical informatics, biometrics and epidemiology) career 2011 - present: research fellow. institute for the environment, brunel university2007 – present: independent biostatistical consultant (scholze consultancy, london, uk) 2003 – 2007: research scientist in two european union-funded research projects, centre for toxicology, the school of pharmacology, university of london. 1997 – 2003: research scientist and co-coordination in two european union-funded research projects, university of bremen, department of biology and chemistry. 1996 – 1997: research scientist, university of bremen, department of statistics, germany. 1994 – 1996: research scientist in epidemiological studies, bremen institute for prevention research and social medicine, germany. 1992 – 1994: research scientist in epidemiological studies, university of bremen, department of statistics, germany. my interest in research can be broken down into two related fields. one is focused on statistical and mathematical methods in dose-response analysis, with applications in biology, epidemiology, (eco)toxicology and pharmacology. the other is concerned with the impact of chemical mixtures on humans and the environment and how statistical and mathematical methods can provide assistance. it is in this area that i have concentrated most of my efforts, and for which i have an international reputation. upcoming research areas include computational statistics and computational systems biology. areas of expertise: planning, analysis and assessment of dose-response studies sample design, sample size estimation and power calculations multiple testing multi-component and multivariate analysis statistical methods in epidemiology uncertainty analysis deterministic and stochastic simulation techniques in bioscience (monte-carlo, resampling, pk/pd simulation, process simulation) analysis of microarray studies quantitative methods in chemical risk assessment pb/pk modelling

as an interdisciplinary scientist with a background in biology and analytical chemistry, my research interests are focussed on the impact of chemicals in the environment and the interaction this chemical stress has with other environmental stressors. my expertise lies in small molecule mass spectrometry to determine chemicals found in the environment (especially in wildlife) and to determine biomarkers and pathways associated with adverse effects in exposed organisms. i am also interested in the integration of artificial intelligence within environmental toxicology to support and solve different environmental challenges. from the start of my phd at king's college london my research was originally focussed on the uptake, biotransofrmation and elimination of pharmaceuticals in a freshwater invertebrate (gammarus pulex) commonly found in uk rivers. i developed and validated machine learning models to predict these proccesses to support and potentially replace bioaccumulation testing during environmental risk assessments. i then moved into a postdoctoral position where i focussed on understanding the impact of pharmaceuticals by assessing behavioural disruption in these organisms. i developed and applied metabolomic workflows to gain a mechanistic understanding of animal behaviour and to link cause-effect relationships for different drug exposures. here at brunel, i will be working in three main areas concerned with chemical pollution. first is concerned with the determination of chemicals (and mixtures) using exposomics to characterise the chemical space in the environment, with a focus on internalised residues in animals. second, improving mechanistic understanding of cause-effect relationships using metabolomics and lipidomics to determine biochemical changes that are phenotypically anchored. finally, development and application of ai to support envrionmental risk assessment, replace animal testing and improve interpretation of complex datasets to better understand animal health. environmental toxicology environmental metabolomics & lipidomics animal behaviour & physiology aritficial intelligence & machine learning

i am an environmental scientist, professor of exposome science, fellow of the institution of environmental sciences, a chartered chemist and fellow of the royal society of chemistry. my research covers a range of topics in environmental, analytical, exposome and water sciences. my research is focused on the development of analytical techniques for the determination of environmental contaminants to assess animal and human exposure to hazardous compounds in the environment. my work includes investigations into the occurrence and fate of emerging environmental contaminants and hazardous substances in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and the study of their behaviour during wastewater treatment and drinking water production. my research investigates the elimination of micro-pollutants from wastewater and potable water through conventional water treatment processes and i apply green chemistry principals and green technologies to eliminate or convert hazardous pollutants to less harmful or more biodegradable compounds. my research covers the formation and occurrence of disinfection-by-products resulting from conventional and advanced treatment. my studies involve the development of high resolution tandem mass spectrometry methods for the identification of contaminants in human body fluids, biota, potable water and wastewater samples. my research involves the development of new strategies in data interpretation using spectral and chromatographic deconvolution and chemometric methods of nontargeted analysis to address unknown hazards or "known or unknown unknowns." career 2025 to present, professor, college of engineering, design and physical sciences, brunel university of london 2025 to present, director of research, civil and environmental engineering, brunel university of london 2016 to 2023, vice dean international, college of health, medicine and life sciences, brunel university london 2013 to 2025, professor in the college of health, medicine and life sciences, brunel university london 2005-2012, principal scientist, severn trent laboratories, reading 1999-2005, principal scientist, water research centre (wrc-nsf), medmenham 1990-1999, principal scientist, water research centre (wrc), medmenham analytical techniques; organic mass spectrometry, environmental contaminants; wastewater treatment; sewage sludge; disinfection-by-products; surface waters; sediment; soil; biota. research activities: my research covers a range of topics related to the development and application of analytical techniques for the determination of environmental contaminants in wastewater, sewage sludge, body fluids and human tissue and in environmental samples including surface waters, sediment, soil and biota. my work can be divided into the following areas: development of analytical methods to determine environmental contaminants in wastewater and the aquatic environment. focus on emerging contaminants e.g. endocrine disrupting compounds, pharmaceutical and personal care products, pesticides and pesticide metabolites and natural ecotoxins. development of methods for assessing animal and human exposure to compounds in the environment by analysis of body fluids and tissue samples. data is used to determine whether exposure to particular contaminants has taken place and to determine the magnitude of, and temporal variations in any exposure. determination of the removal of priority pollutants and emerging hazardous substances in conventional wastewater treatment plants and by advanced tertiary treatment. the determination of the fate and behaviour of biologically active chemicals in the aquatic and terrestrial environment using non-target screening, effect-directed analysis and high resolution ms and ms/ms based techniques. determination of the formation and occurrence of disinfection-by-products (and trace contaminants) in raw and potable water e.g. haloacetic acids, perfluorinated organics, nitrogented and halogenated dbps. development of new strategies in data interpretation using spectral and chromatographic deconvolution and chemometric methods to address unknown hazards or “unknown unknowns”. key funding from 2000 to present: 2000 - 2003 natural environment research council awarded £85k for a two year project to determine steroid oestrogens in wastewater, river water and river sediments 2002 – 2003 endocrine disrupters in sewage sludge – funding £84k (funded by united kingdom water industry research) 2003 – 2004 endocrine disrupters in sewage influent : analytical method development – funding £37k (funded by united kingdom water industry research, sponsored by the department for environment, food and rural affairs) 2004 a review of analytical methods to determine steroid oestrogens – funding £12k (department for environment, food and rural affairs) 2005 unification of analytical methods to determine steroid oestrogens in surface waters, crude and treated sewage to meet the environment agency pnec requirements, research in collaboration with the environment agency – funding £27k (department for environment, food and rural affairs) 2005 – 2009 edc demonstration programme – funding total value ca £2.7m over 3 years (severn trent water, southern water, northumbarian water and dwr cymru welsh water) 2005 – 2007 decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (d5) in the aquatic environment – funding ca£120k (unilever safety & environmental assurance centre) 2005 – 2009 fate and behaviour of pharmaceuticals in wastewater – funding ca£110k (pfizer global) 2005 – 2012 trace organics in waste water (various contracts, e.g. tamiflu, drugs of abuse, pesticides, dbps) - t&d severn trent water ca£2.5m over 6 years 2008 – 2010 nitrosamines in drinking water - funding ca£165k (drinking water inspectorate) with wrc plc 2008 – 2009 pfos in drinking water – funding ca£80k (drinking water inspectorate) with wrc plc 2009 – 2010 perchlorate in drinking water - funding ca£80k (drinking water inspectorate) with wrc plc. 2010 to 2012 haloacetic acids in drinking water by icmsms - funding ca£22k (drinking water inspectorate) with wrc plc 2010 to 2012 monitoring of nitrogenated disinfection by-products in drinking water – funding £95k department for environment, food and rural affairs (defra) / drinking water inspectorate (dwi) with dr michael templeton 2010 – 2012 chemicals investigation programme – funding total value ca £3.1m over 3 years (thames water, southern water, yorkshire water, dwr cymru welsh water) 2013 - 2016 a comparative study on the ic-msms and methylation gc-ecd methods of analysis of haloacetic acids - funding £89,000 department for environment, food and rural affairs (defra)/drinking water inspectorate (dwi). principal investigator 2014 - 2016 a decoy artificial snail host to control schistosoma mansoni - funding $100,00, bill and melinda gates foundation. co-investigator. dr edwin routledge (pi) 2019 – 2021 in-sewer and post-sewer removal of down-the drain chemicals: using new analytical approaches to study the fate of mixtures - funding £50,000 (unilever safety & environmental assurance centre). principal investigator 2020-2022 retrofit system for abatement of pollutants in exhaust gases – funding £495k (pyrocore). co-investigator. i teach on a number of environmental science and environmental management degree programmes, including msc environmental management, mres environmental management, mres environmental sciences and bsc environmental sciences. programme lead: i am the course director of the mres environmental management and mres environmental sciences degree programmes. co-ordination roles module lead for environmental chemistry module lead for environmental pollution and monitoring module lead research planning and communication skills module lead dissertation for mres environmental sciences module lead dissertation for mres environmental management module lead for professional experience (environmental science) contribution to other modules environmental management environmental management and legislation clean technology and the environment climate change and the sustainability challenge environmental pollution and ecosystem stressors pollution solutions data analysis and research skills in environmental science research dissertation - supervise masters and final year undergraduate projects (fyps). phd supervision i am first or second supervisor to a number of phd students in environmental sciences. other academic resposibilities i peer review articles for high quality environmental and analytical science journals including environmental science and technology, water research, journal of chromatography,environmental pollution, science of the total environment, chemosphere, current pharmaceutical analysis and others. i regularly serve as an internal and external examiner for phd, mphil and mres awards in the uk and internationally. i have examined pgr students at kings college london, cranfield university, kingston university london and the australian national university.

my main interests lie in aquatic biology, specifically how anthropogenic stressors, such as environmental contaminants, can alter an animal's development, reproductive and immune systems (endocrine disruption). my focus has been to investigate environmental chemical disruption to fish and freshwater gastropod molluscs. initially, the emphasis of my research was on disruption to classic sex steroids (oestrogens and androgens); however, recently, my attention has been widened to include disruption to other parts of the endocrine system, including thyroid and retinoid systems. working in the field of endocrine disrupting chemicals (edcs), one area of research which i am keen to investigate is mollusc endocrinology. much of my work with gastropods has found that, contrary to long-held views, molluscs may not use the same sex steroids as vertebrates. without understanding how these fundamental developmental and reproductive processes work in molluscs, this vast and diverse group of animals are at risk of not being adequately protected using the current environmental endocrine disruption testing and legislation. career summary 2022-present senior lecturer in environmental sciences, brunel university london 2023-2025 environmental sciences division lead. 2020-2022 lecturer in environmental sciences. brunel university london jan-march 2019 visiting research fellow, australian rivers institute, griffith university, queensland, australia 2014-2020 research fellow, institute of environment, health and societies, brunel university london, uk. 2012-2014 postdoctoral research manager, institute for the environment (ife), brunel university, uk. 2009-2012 postdoctoral research assistant, ife, brunel university, uk. 2008-2009 research assistant, ife, brunel university, uk. 2004-2008 phd student, ife, brunel university, uk. 2002-2004 fisheries scientist, environment agency’s national fisheries laboratory, huntingdon, cambridgeshire, uk. i am an ecotoxicologist. my main focus is on the impact of environmental chemicals (pollution) to aquatic wildlife. my research specifically looks at how environmental chemicals can impact an animals development and reproduction - by disrupting it's endocrine (hormonal) systems. i work both in the lab and field, mainly with freshwater fish and gastropod molluscs. current grants/awards: principle investigator: cip4 emerging substances endocrine disruptors eq/01/a/271. uk water industry research. collaboration with the university of exeter, university of hull & suez. 2024-2027. project resume co-investigator: understanding the scale, sources, fate and effects of pfas pollution (unsafe). nerc highlight topics award. led by imperial college london, with brunel university london, king’s college london, uk centre for ecology & hydrology and jncc (joint nature conservation committee) 2025-2029. unsafe co-director: training, research & equity in environmental sciences (trees). nerc doctoral landscape award (dla). led by ucl, in collaboration with birkbeck, brunel, king’s college london, queen mary’s, royal holloway, university of portsmouth, the natural history museum, royal botanic gardens kew, and zsl institute of zoology. 2025-2032. trees dla ecotoxicology, endocrine disruption, chemical pollution, aquatic pollution, aquatic biology and ecology, fish and gastropod development and reproduction. environmental sciences bsc program lead. teaching across four undergraduate programs and four postgraduate programs: environmental sciences bsc, geography bsc, life sciences bsc, global challenges basc, environmental management msc (with pathways), sustainability, entrepreneurship and design msc, environmental sciences mres and environmental management mres. module lead/coordinator earth system science (ug 1st year/l4) ecosystem stressors (ug 2nd year/l5) chemical risk assessment and management (pgt/l7) addition tutor geography: a controversial discipline (ug 2nd year/l5) final year project supervisor (ug 3rd year/l6) the total environment (pgt/l7) environmental tools and methodologies (pgt/l7) environmental pollution & monitoring (pgt/l7) msc dissertation supervisor (pgt/l7) mres dissertation supervisor (pgt/l7)

dr ovokeroye abafe has extensive experience in applying chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques for trace level analyses of legacy, emerging and novel chemical contaminants and pollutants in abiotic and biotic matrices including human tissues. he has particular interest in establishing the links between external exposure to environmental pollutants and their human body-burden using next generation exposure and risk assessment tools (e.g., 3d-models and organoids) and human biomonitoring. prior to joining brunel university, he was a marie curie individual fellow at the university of birmingham. dr abafe was previously a senior research scientist and laboratory manager at the agricultural research council- onderstepoort veterinary institute, where he was responsible for the south african national residue monitoring programme for antibiotics, veterinary drugs and environmental contaminants residues in food and feed of animal origin including livestock, poultry and wildlife. he has led several institutional, national and international projects; and led several training programmes in the area of food analytical methods, quality control and quality management systems for the united nation's food and agricultural organization/international atomic energy agency. dr abafe received a y1-rating (a researcher who is recognized as having the potential to establish him/herself as a researcher of considerable international standing on the basis of the quality and impact of his/her recent research outputs) from the national research foundation of south africa in 2021. career summary 2023 –present: lecturer in environmental sciences, college of health, medicine and life sciences (chmls), brunel university london. 2021 –2023 - marie curie individual fellow, university of birmingham 2016 – 2021: senior research scientist and laboratory manager, agricultural research council, south africa. 2016 - visiting research scientist, department of chemistry, umeå university, sweden. 2015 – 2016 - postdoctoral research fellow, university of kwazulu-natal, durban, south africa. 2014 - lecturer, department of chemistry, durban university of technology, durban, south africa my research interests are focused on: identification of emerging and legacy contaminants such as halogenated and organophosphate chemicals, pfas, additive chemicals in micro and nanoplastics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs etc. in indoor and outdoor environmental matrices, food and feed, food contact materials, consumer products and human biological tissues, using chromatography with non-targeted and target mass spectrometry. human exposure and risk assessment of emerging and legacy chemical contaminants and pollutants using next generation 3-dimensional (3d) human organ equivalent models and organ-on-chip techniques as sustainable alternatives to animal and/or human tissues. human biomonitoring of persistent organic pollutants and emerging environmental contaminants.

i am deeply interested in understanding and addressing the impacts of exposures to environmental contaminants on ecosystems, wildlife and human health. urban environments, where the majority of the global population resides, are hotspots for such exposures, and my research has consistently aimed to unravel the pathways and consequences of these interactions. my early work explored how environmental contaminants disrupt endocrine and reproductive systems, leading to significant regulatory advancements. over time, my focus has shifted toward interdisciplinary approaches to solving environmental pollution challenges, fostering collaborations across academic, industrial, and governmental sectors. as the founder and director of the institute of environment, health, and societies at brunel university london, i championed interdisciplinary research, integrating expertise from diverse fields. currently, i lead the plastics in indonesian societies (pisces) program, an ambitious initiative to combat plastic pollution through evidence-based solutions and circular economy principles. i am passionate about mentoring the next generation of researchers who will drive innovative solutions for a safer and more sustainable planet. environmental contaminants and their impacts on ecosystems, wildlife and human health investigating the pathways through which pollutants affect ecosystems, biodiversity and human health wildlife toxicology and population dynamics studying the effects of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems and aquatic wildlife to understand individual and population-level consequences and support conservation efforts. circular economy and system change interventions collaborative research to help develop and implement circular economy frameworks to reduce plastic waste leakage, with a focus on real-world applications in high-impact regions like indonesia. interdisciplinary solutions to pollution bringing together expertise from various disciplines to create novel methodologies and actionable solutions for pollution mitigation, from local to global scales. policy-driven environmental research ensuring that scientific findings influence policy and regulation to improve environmental quality and public health, bridging the gap between academia and policy-making. research projects: i am currently leading and directing a large nerc funded project called ‘a systems analysis approach to reduce plastic waste in indonesian societies (pisces)’ is an interdisciplinary project involving more than 40 researchers from uk, indonesia, india and thailand . plastic pollution is one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges. an investment of £20 million by ukri has supported five interdisciplinary research projects that aim to improve understanding of the impacts of plastic pollution in developing countries. the pisces project has been funded under this initiative and aims to reduce the impact of plastic pollution on communities and the environment in indonesia. the team are examining socio-economic, behavioural and cultural factors associated with plastic use in indonesia; developing interventions and assessing their social, environmental and economic benefits. we are working closely with academic partners as well as governments, ngos and industry. project partners include systemiq (project stop and the bali partnership) and the co-ordinating ministry of maritime affairs national plastics action plan. indonesia has a rapidly growing economy and the largest archipelago in the world with exceptionally high levels of plastics contaminating its rivers and seas. pisces will work along the value chain examining the costs of inaction and benefits of targeted interventions. our work will mitigate the impacts of plastic pollution and aims to enable cleaner, more resilient and productive environments. we aim to promote economic growth, social inclusion and societal wellbeing including environmental sustainability of oceans and coastal areas.

i am a foodweb ecologist interested in understanding the impacts of environmental change (e.g. land use change, climate warming and microplastic pollution) on aquatic ecosystems. an ecosystem is more than the sum of its parts and by studying species interactions (e.g. food webs) we can gain key information about the pathways of energy flow that bring about real change in natural systems. i use a range of approaches from small-scale laboratory experiments, field surveys and large ecological datasets to search for common mechanisms operating across freshwater and marine realms. global change biology aquatic food webs metabolic scaling theory biodiversity and ecosystem functioning i teach the following bsc modules: climate change (environmental sciences, geography and global challenges programmes, level 5) individual project (environmental sciences, level 6)

i am an environmental scientist with a particular interest in the taxonomy and ecology of aquatic organisms and pollution of aquatic environments. in my research i combine ecological theory and environmental topics (e.g., nutrient-, antibiotic- or plastic pollution of fresh waters) and focus on vulnerable taxonomic groups such as organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye but that drive the bulk of ecosystem processes on earth. for example, freshwater quality (i.e., the health of groundwater, lakes or rivers) is maintained by a community composed of mostly tiny organisms. before joining brunel, i was employed at the university of roehampton, london, as a senior lecturer. my work history also includes two post-doctoral research positions, at queen mary university of london and at the river laboratory, qmul (dorset), respectively. my full research profile and a list of my publications is available here. i am an environmental scientist with a particular interest in the taxonomy and ecology of aquatic organisms and pollution of aquatic environments. in my research i combine ecological theory and environmental topics (e.g., nutrient-, antibiotic- or plastic pollution of fresh waters) and focus on vulnerable taxonomic groups such as organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye but that drive the bulk of ecosystem processes on earth. for example, freshwater quality (i.e., the health of groundwater, lakes or rivers) is maintained by a community composed of mostly tiny organisms. ecology, aquatic ecology, aquatic organisms, pollution of aquatic environments, theotretical ecology, allometric scaling, protists, meiofauna, macrofauna, antibiotic pollution, microplastic pollution i have been teaching since my phd years and deliver research-led teaching in environmental sciences (including topics such as conservation, aquatic ecology, sustainability, global change, plastic pollution, experimental design, statistics, study skills and employability). at brunel, i teach on undergraduate and post-graduate level modules for courses offered by the college of engineering, design and physical science; the college of health, medicine and life sciences (environmental sciences topics) and the department of social and political sciences (geography topics). environmental management msc environmental sciences mres environmental sciences bsc geography bsc

as the senior technician for analytical chemistry, i provide a comprehensive support service accross the college of health, medicine and life sciences. this includes supporting or leading the teaching of technical/ practical skills to undergraduate and post graduate students, supporting reasearch and conducting consultancy activities. i am an associate fellow of the higher education academy and the professional member of the royal society of chemistry holding the chartered chemist status. i am actively involved in brunel's wider initiatives such as organising research conferences and lab tours and promoting our anaytical chemistry facilities. as the part-time doctoral researcher, i am focused on the presence and fate of wide range of contaminants including personal care and household products. the title of my thesis is: "occurance and fate of household chemicals in domestic wastewater".

alongside the other technicians, i am a member of a comprehensive support service across environmental sciences teaching and research laboratories, with a particular emphasis on analytical chemistry. before coming to brunel i was working for over 10 years in various industries including oil and gas, industrial scale manufacturing, and construction materials.

i am a postdoctoral researcher currently working on the ukri-funded project (unsafe) understanding the scale, sources, fate and effects of pfas pollution. my research interests cover anthropogenic contaminants in the aquatic environment, with my current work focusing on pfas and their potential impact on aquatic wildlife through field monitoring, bioaccumulation assessments, and multi-omics approaches. my interest in the uptake and elimination of contaminants of emerging concern in aquatic wildlife grew during my phd, where i investigated toxicokinetics of pharmaceuticals in daphnia magna. with my background in computer science, i am also interested in applying computational techniques, particularly machine learning approaches, to elucidate chemical structure-driven environmental behaviour of contaminants. machine learning analytical method development contaminants of emerging concern toxicokinetics

nick teaches subjects in ecology and environmental change to students studying environmental sciences, environmental management, life sciences and geography and works with colleagues to develop innovative teaching, learning and assessment across the university. nick's academic background is as an ecologist interested in how ecological communities assemble and disassemble and has broad interests in biodiversity conservation. his pedagogical interests include authentic assessment, understanding how universities can embed environmental sustainability across the curriculum and developing innovative interdisciplinary teaching on complex subjects such as climate change.

george fern is a chemist by background who has worked in engineering since 2006. he has a broad skills set in developing and delivering collaborative research and development projects and consultancy with industry, from inorganic and organic materials chemistry to their integration into polymeric materials and electronic devices and has acted as an expert witness. his research focus is on polymer procesing, sustainable materials and opto-electronic materials and devices for applications ranging from horticulture to displays and lighting. he has teaching interests in chemistry, materials chemistry and charasterisation. he has a keen interest in materials characterisation, electron microscopy (sem, tem), x-ray methods (xrd, xrf) and spectroscopic techniquies (uv-vis-nir, ftir, raman) to study luminescent materials (cathodoluminescence (cl), photoluminescence emission and excitation (pl, ple)) and is the director of the wolfson centre for sustainable materials processing and characterisation. he is a chartered chemist and member of the royal society of chemistry, a fellow of the higher education academy and a fellow of the royal microscopical society. dr george fern’s (gf) group has a focus to deliver exploitable knowledge and ip that is implemented for society by the many industry partners across a diverse range of applications, e.g. micro-displays, radiation sensors to plastic films. he has been researching luminescent and nano materials since 1998 and polymers since 2006, with industry and academia on funded iuk/tsb/dti/epsrc/nerc/bbsrc/bc, synchrotron and industry projects. his laboratories are exceptionally well equipped with chemistry synthetic labs, uhv processing for organic (clean room) and inorganic materials, polymer processing, optical and mechanical analytical laboratories. he is particularly interested in the characterisation of luminescent materials and composites properties using brunel’s world class electron microscopy facilities available in etc. current research interests and recent projects sustainability of polymers and recycling, development of horticultural polymers and propagation systems. development of opto-materials, compounding, formulation of polymer/composite/nano-composites and extrusion processing and materials testing. sustainable polymers, recycling and mitigation strategies. adaptive and circular manufacturing of modular filtration systems from thermoplastic waste, reflow, eureka smart (10186731) with industry in slovenia and portugal, 01/04/2026-31/03/2029, gr fern (pi) £355,228. monitor3d (10129465), 01/10/2024-31/03/2025, gr fern (pi) £34,974 (project has lead on to reflow). microbial colouration system design: re-standardisation & re-servitisation research, innovate uk (10110040) 01/06/2024-30/11/2024, gr fern (pi) £39,791. reborn homewares (10062038) development of the use of recycled homeware products using 100% recycled polymer and manufactured in the uk, iuk, 2023-2024, g fern (pi), e lacovidou, £44,217. using synthetic biology to manipulate bacterial social behaviours to maximise the microbial degradation of environmental waste plastics, r mccarthy (pi) and g fern, nerc, 2023-2024, £80,629. (ne/x010902/1) exploration of the plasticisation of thermally processable pvoh, epsrc dtp studentship, 2022-2025, mark andrews, george fern, ep/v519947/1:2686925 designer plant burgers - use of targeted biochemistry and chemistry to generate flavour (taste and aroma) during extrusion of plant protein, 2022-2026, bb/t008776/1: 2743988, chloe mayo and george fern purelight (132743), horticultural film/masterbatch development, iuk, g fern (pi), j silver and k tarverdi, 2017-2020, £246,293. lightway (132746), artificial lighting for plant and algae growth, iuk, dr fern (pi), prof silver and k tarverdi, 2017-2020, £246,053. agriflex: human-centred design for sustainable agricultural plastics e. pei (pi), g fern, k tarverdi, iuk, 2021, £39,636. covid-secure high street work stores, m themis (pi), k tarverdi, g fern, iuk, 2020-2021, £75,369. additional funding from the royal society of chemistry and the epsrc iaa account have also been secured to support impact generation in these areas, 08/21-01/22. development and integration of luminescent materials for automatic sorting machine food packaging labels and processing of recycled polymer. this project is supported by various industry partners including the nextloopp network who he collaborates to ‘close the loop on food grade polypropylene’. providing the 30% recycled content for food packing (pfp): an integrated stakeholder approach to solving 'hard to recycle' plastic packaging, g fern (pi), l henderson, k tarverdi, d smith, nerc, 2020-2023, £458,436. prism, j silver (pi), gr fern, k tarverdi, epsrc, 2015-2018, £166,565. opto-electronic devices for lighting and sensors feud - field emission ultraviolet device, g fern (pi) and d smith, ukri, 2021-2022, £224,826 high temperature radiation hard detectors, epsrc (ep/l504671/1) ultra high vacuum processing/coating of commercially sourced electronic grade diamond wafers and assembly into ionising radiation sensors for use at elevated temperatures up to 250oc, 2013-2016, £637,000. organic lighting and displays (oled) enabling technologies for cd-free quantum dot light emitting diode displays and signage (qandela), (28271) dr fern (pi) iuk, 2019-2021, £528,000. displays, electronics and lighting; polymer processing and biopolymers; nanomaterials, nanoparticles and nanocatalysts, ionising radiation sensors, transmission electron microscopy, applications in horticulture, security and novel display technology. current (2025-6) me0602 materials science (module leader) me0604 projects and communications (module leader) cl2600 engineering chemistry (module leader) be1613 enginering materials past cl3605 chemical engineering design project academic leader for the formula student projects (ice and electric teams) (2006-2021) me0601 communications, projects and electronics (module leader) (2006-2021) prior to joining brunel university i taught extensively across a range of chemistry subjects as a teaching fellow/lecturer/senior lecturer at the school of chemistry at greenwich univeristy (1998-2005)

i am a reader in design for sustainability, coordinator of the design for sustainability research group and member of the design for sustainable manufacturing research theme. i worked in the design and innovation for sustainability research unit at politecnico di milano for six years before joining brunel university london in 2012. i carry out research in the area of: - design for sustainability and circular economy, and in particular in developing principles, strategies and tools to innovate and design products, services, product-service systems and business models integrating environmental, socio-ethical and economic sustainability; - co-design, and in particular on how to support multi-stakeholder and participatory design processes. over the past years i have been involved in several international and national research projects, funded by the european commission, epsrc, innovate uk, the british council, smes and multinational enterprises. my research projects have resulted in more than 80 journal and conference publications and 4 books. i have been teaching in the area of design for sustainability over the past 15 years. i am currently teaching modules on fundamentals of design for sustainability and advanced design for sustainability (ba and bsc), and i am director of the msc integrated product design. i am member of the epsrc peer review college, the design research society and the british industrial design association, and fellow of the higher education academy. education i obtained a bsc and msc equivalent degrees in industrial design awarded by politecnico di milano in italy. in 2009 i started my doctoral research in design for sustainability at politecnico di milano, which was completed in 2012. design for sustainability and circular economy product-service system (pss) design for sustainability design for socio-technical transitions (transition design) ecodesign design for sustainable behaviour design for energy access in low- and middle-income contexts design for distributed economies design for sustainable social innovation codesign, crowdsourcing and participatory approaches module leader, dm2801 fundamentals of innovation and sustainability (ba and bsc design programmes) module leader, dm3611 advanced design for sustainability (ba and bsc design programmes) supervisor, dm5551 dissertation project (msc integrated product design) supervisor, dm3701 major project (ba and bsc design programmes) opportunities for industry projects: the msc integrated product design is characterised by a strong integration of industry projects in various teaching modules. as msc course director, i welcome enquires from smes, multinational enterprises, design consultancies and other organisations/institutions who are keen to establish collaborations for students projects, dissertation projects and placement opportunities.

dr kok siew ng is senior lecturer (associate professor) in chemical engineering at brunel university of london. he joined brunel in march 2022 as a lecturer (assistant professor) after the completion of his 4-year independent nerc fellowship at the university of oxford. he is currently leading the biorefinery and resource recovery research group and the interdisciplinary msc in advanced chemical engineering (hydrogen and low carbon technologies) at brunel. prior to joining brunel, kok siew was a ukri/nerc industrial innovation (rutherford) research fellow and lecturer in chemical engineering at the department of engineering science, university of oxford, from 2018 to 2022. during his time in oxford, he was a principal investigator for the synergors project 'a systems approach to synergistic utilisation of secondary organic streams' (£0.5 million), funded by nerc. the project aimed to explore novel approaches to addressing challenges in organic waste management and achieving circular economy. as the first research fellow in the department to be offered a concurrent lectureship contract, he took on the role of delivering comprehensive full-module teaching. this includes conducting lectures, guiding tutorials, managing exams, and overseeing meng project supervision. kok siew was the co-investigator and coordinator of the oxford agile project (sprint 2) – a university-wide initiative focusing on tackling various environmental challenges using an interdisciplinary approach, funded through the £10 million nerc changing the environment programme, from 2022-2023. the sprint project aims to develop strategies for determining the best regional combination of nutrient recovery and utilisation options for both economic viability and environmental benefits. he completed his meng chemical engineering with chemistry (first class honours) in 2008, and later gained his phd in 2011 from the centre for process integration (cpi), the university of manchester. after completing his phd, he joined process integration limited (pil) as a consultant and later took up a position as a postdoctoral research fellow at the centre for environment and sustainability (ces), university of surrey. kok siew is a chemical engineer by training with >15 years of research and industrial consultancy experience in systems engineering, process integration, techno-economic analysis and environmental life cycle assessment (lca). his research vision is to develop novel and sustainable solutions from a systems engineering perspective, to facilitate the transition of the chemical, energy and waste industries from a fossil-based, linear system to one that is fundamentally sustainable by using renewables as the mainstream resources and by fully embracing circular economy principles. he has contributed to more than 10 uk and international projects funded by nerc, innovate uk, eu fp7, royal academy of engineering and newton fund. his research is significant in terms of addressing global challenges in the 21st century, aligned with the un sdg 7 and 12, the uk industrial strategy, and international ambitions to achieving circular economy and net-zero target. kok siew has published more than 40 articles including journals, book chapters and magazine articles. he has authored the pioneering textbook "a new systems thinking approach to sustainable resource management: principles and applications" (2024) and co-authored “biorefineries and chemical processes: design, integration and sustainability analysis” (2014). his work related to decarbonisation of energy systems has been recognised by the icheme junior moulton medal award (best publication) in 2011. furthermore, kok siew has been nominated for the university of oxford vice-chancellor's environmental sustainability staff award in 2022 for his contribution in actively promoting environmental sustainability through his research vision, which develops sustainable solutions from a systems engineering perspective. he is an editorial board member of resources, conservation & recycling advances (rcr advances) journal and also a reviewer for french anr and ukri/epsrc proposals. kok siew's research has significant implications for policy decision-making. he was invited to serve as a technical advisor and modelling expert for chatham house's sustainability accelerator initiative, contributing to key discussions on global bioeconomy development. his input helped shape the publication "how strategic collaboration on the bioeconomy can boost climate and nature action". through this engagement, his research has provided critical evidence and systems insights that support international efforts to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable and inclusive bioeconomy. kok siew is enthusiastic in establishing international collaboration with researchers from multidisciplinary background. he has been working closely with international academic and industrial organisations in the uk, europe, china and south east asia. he has organised and participated in a number of british council/newton fund workshops in malaysia, mexico, brazil, kazakhstan and china, and attended the royal academy of engineering frontiers of engineering for development symposium “from feeding people to nourishing people”. he has a long-term ambition in influencing resources and waste management practices in developing countries towards sustainable development through cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration between the uk and international organisations. his ambition in international development together with the objectives of synergors are well aligned with the uk industrial strategy in enhancing resource efficiency and mitigating pollution and waste materials, while achieving a sustainable industrial growth and a more resilient economy at global level. awards and achievements outstanding programme award for msc advanced chemical engineering (hydrogen and low carbon technologies), brunel university of london, 2026. outstanding programme award for msc advanced chemical engineering (hydrogen and low carbon technologies), brunel university of london, 2025. university of oxford vice-chancellor's environmental sustainability staff award, nominee, 2022. best oral presentation award, newton-al-farabi uk-kazakhstan workshop “low-carbon future: efficient management of resources and energy”, 26-28 september 2016, astana, kazakhstan. icheme junior moulton medal for the best publication, 2011 - “ng, k.s., lopez, y., campbell, g.m., sadhukhan, j., 2010. heat integration and analysis of decarbonised igcc sites. chem eng res des., 88 (2): 170-188.” phd scholarships (2008-2011): overseas research scholarship (ors), manchester alumni funds, process integration research consortium (pirc) research funds, school of chemical engineering and analytical science scholarship meng chemical engineering with chemistry specialist subject course prize (ranked 1st in the cohort), 2008, the university of manchester. biorefinery system design (biomass and waste valorisation; gasification; pyrolysis; hydrothermal liquefaction; fischer-tropsch; sustainable aviation fuel production) decarbonised polygeneration system design (carbon capture and utilisation; combined heat and power; fuel and chemical production) resource recovery from waste and circular economy (management and valorisation of municipal solid waste including food waste, residual waste, recyclable waste) my research involves multidisciplinary and international collaboration in view of promoting sustainability and circular economy practices in the developing countries and addressing global challenges. our initiatives are featured in the synergors and agile (sprint 2) final reports: ng, k.s., hatton, l., martinez-hernandez, e. (2021) synergors - a systems approach to synergistic utilisation of secondary organic streams. final project report. university of oxford. funded by the uk natural environment research council (ne/r012938/1). isbn: 978-1-7397541-0-5 re-organising nutrients flows in leicestershire my research employs systems engineering approach (conceptual design, simulation and mathematical modelling and optimisation, process integration), techno-economic assessment, environmental life cycle assessment (lca) and policy analysis in developing innovative strategies for sustainable industrial system design and resource management. more information can be found in my research group page. cl5613/5653 emerging low carbon technologies (module leader) cl5617/5618 energy systems (module leader) cl3605 chemical engineering design project (assessor) cl5650 chemical engineering research project (project lead)

qualifications 2005: phd pharmaceuticals in the environment. brunel university london. 1998: msc applied fish biology, plymouth university. 1996: bsc (hons) fisheries studies, plymouth university. 1998–present brunel university, london project manager the lime hub, bcast brunel university, london. 2020-present. project manager - intcatch (eu horizon 2020) (part time, job share): 2016 - 2020. post-doctoral research fellow (part time): 2011-2019 intelligent ecotoxicology – from single chemicals to mixtures (defra) post-doctoral research fellow: 2008-2011 intelligent ecotoxicology – progestogens as a test case. investigating the effects of progestogens on fish (defra) post-doctoral research fellow: 2004-2008 detecting endocrine disrupting chemicals in the aquatic environment (eden) research assistant: 2003: ace: analysing the combined effects of mixtures of estrogenic chemicals in marine and freshwater organisms (ec-fw5) research technician: 1998-2001 development of a reproductive performance test (pair breeding assay) for endocrine disrupting chemicals, using the fathead minnow selected publications runnalls, t. j., beresford, n., kugathas, s., margiotta-casaluci, l., scholze, m., scott, a. p., & sumpter, j. p.(2015). from single chemicals to mixtures-reproductive effects of levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiolon the fathead minnow.. aquatic toxicology, 169, 152-167. doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.10.009 kugathas, s., runnalls, t. j., & sumpter, j. p. (2013). metabolic and reproductive effects of relatively lowconcentrations of beclomethasone dipropionate, a synthetic glucocorticoid, on fathead minnows.environmental science and technology, 47(16), 9487-9495. doi:10.1021/es4019332 scott, a. p., hill, t., beresford, n., runnalls, t. j., sumpter, j. p., & ellis, t. (2013). out-of-season production of17,20β-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one in the roach rutilus rutilus. journal of fish biology, 83(2), 233-249.doi:10.1111/jfb.12150 runnalls, t. j., beresford, n., losty, e., scott, a. p., & sumpter, j. p. (2013). several synthetic progestins withdifferent potencies adversely affect reproduction of fish. environmental science and technology, 47(4),2077-2084. doi:10.1021/es3048834 kugathas, s., runnalls, t., & sumpter, j. (2012). synthetic progestins and glucocorticoids affect fishreproduction and physiology. in 48th congress of the european-societies-of-toxicology (eurotox).stockholm, sweden. beresford, n., brian, j. v., runnalls, t. j., sumpter, j. p., & jobling, s. (2011). estrogenic activity of tropical fishfood can alter baseline vitellogenin concentrations in male fathead minnow (pimephales promelas).environmental toxicology and chemistry, 30(5), 1139-1145. doi:10.1002/etc.479 harris, c. a., hamilton, p. b., runnalls, t. j., vinciotti, v., henshaw, a., hodgson, d., . . . sumpter, j. p. (2011).the consequences of feminization in breeding groups of wild fish. environmental health perspectives,119(3), 306-311. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002555 kugathas, s., runnalle, t. j., & sumpter, j. p. (2011). dose-response effects of chronic exposure of fatheadminnows to low concentrations of a synthetic glucocorticoid (poster presentation). in setac-europeconference. milan, italy. paulos, p., runnalls, t. j., nallani, g., la point, t., scott, a. p., sumpter, j. p., & huggett, d. b. (2010).reproductive responses in fathead minnow and japanese medaka following exposure to a syntheticprogestin, norethindrone. aquat toxicol, 99(2), 256-262. retrieved from paulos, p., runnalls, t. j., nallani, g., la point, t., scott, a. p., sumpter, j. p., & huggett, d. b. (2010).reproductive responses in fathead minnow and japanese medaka following exposure to a syntheticprogestin, norethindrone. aquatic toxicology, 99(2), 256-262. runnalls, t. j., margiotta-casaluci, l., kugathas, s., & sumpter, j. p. (2010). pharmaceuticals in the aquaticenvironment: steroids and anti-steroids as high priorities for research. human and ecological riskassessment, 16(6), 1318-1338. doi:10.1080/10807039.2010.526503 rimmer, g., barber, i., runnalls, t., sumpter, j. p., & katsiadaki, i. (2009). a stickleback ring test to reduce thenumber of fish used in regulatory testing.. in fisheries society of the british isles, stickleback 2009: the6th international conference on stickleback behaviour and evolution. leicester university uk. brian, j. v., harris, c. a., runnalls, t. j., fantinati, a., pojana, g., marcomini, a., . . . sumpter, j. p. (2008).evidence of temperature-dependent effects on the estrogenic response of fish: implications with regardto climate change. science of the total environment, 397(1-3), 72-81.doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.02.036 harris, c. a., runnalls, t. j., hamilton, p. b., jobling, s., tyler, c. r., & sumpter, j. p. (2008). assessing thereproductive ability of intersex roach. in 18th annual meeting of setac europe. warsaw, poland. paulos, p., runnalls, t., hala, d., nallani, g., venebles, b., la point, t., . . . huggett, d. (2008). effects ofnorethindrone, a synthetic progestin, on reproductive parameters in fish. in 29th annual meeting ofsetac north america. tampa, florida. harris, c. a., runnalls, t. j., hamilton, p. b., jobling, s., tyler, c. r., & sumpter, j. p. (2008). assessing thereproductivity ability of intersex roach. in 5th annual meeting of the setac world congress.sydney, australia. runnalls, t. j., hala, d. n., & sumpter, j. p. (2007). preliminary studies into the effects of the humanpharmaceutical clofibric acid on sperm parameters in adult fathead minnow. aquatic toxicology, 84(1),111-118. doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2007.06.005 brian, j. v., harris, c. a., scholze, m., backhaus, t., booy, p., lamoree, m., . . . sumpter, j. p. (2005). accurateprediction of the response of freshwater fish to a mixture of estrogenic chemicals. environmental healthperspectives, 113(6), 721-728. doi:10.1289/ehp.7598 van aerle, r., runnalls, t. j., & tyler, c. r. (2004). ontogeny of gonadal sex development relative to growth infathead minnow. journal of fish biology, 64(2), 355-369. doi:10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00296.x handy, r. d., runnalls, t., & russell, p. m. (2002). histopathologic biomarkers in three spined sticklebacks,gasterosteus aculeatus, from several rivers in southern england that meet the freshwater fisheriesdirective. ecotoxicology, 11(6), 467-479. doi:10.1023/a:1021061402491 harries, j. e., runnalls, t., hill, e., harris, c. a., maddix, s., sumpter, j. p., & tyler, c. r. (2000). development ofa reproductive performance test for endocrine disrupting chemicals using pair-breeding fatheadminnows (pimephales promelas). environmental science and technology, 34(14), 3003-3011.doi:10.1021/es991292afurther publications sumpter, j. p., runnalls, t. j., donnachie, r. l., & owen, s. f. (2021). a comprehensive aquatic risk assessmentof the beta-blocker propranolol, based on the results of over 600 research papers. science of the totalenvironment, 793(1 november 2021), 1-12. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148617 tanoue, r., margiotta-casaluci, l., huerta, b., runnalls, t. j., eguchi, a., nomiyama, k., . . . sumpter, j. p.(2019). protecting the environment from psychoactive drugs: problems for regulators illustrated bythe possible effects of tramadol on fish behaviour. science of the total environment, 664, 915-926.doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.090 thrupp, t. j., runnalls, t. j., scholze, m., kugathas, s., kortenkamp, a., & sumpter, j. p. (2017). theconsequences of exposure to mixtures of chemicals: something from ‘nothing’ and ‘a lot from a little’when fish are exposed to steroid hormones. science of the total environment, 619-620, 1482-1492.doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.081 tanoue, r., margiotta-casaluci, l., huerta, b., runnalls, t. j., nomiyama, k., kunisue, t., . . . sumpter, j. p.(2017). uptake and metabolism of human pharmaceuticals by fish - a case study with the opioidanalgesic tramadol.. environmental science & technology, 51(21), 12825-12835.doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b03441

sibylle ermler is a lecturer in biosciences (endocrinology and metabolism) in the department of life sciences. she joined brunel as a research fellow in human toxicology. she has expertise in the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals (edcs) and genotoxicants on human and environmental health. her research focuses on metabolic disorders and obesity, with additional interest in male and female reproductive health, and the developmental origins of health and disease. furthermore, she is an expert in mixture toxicology with an interest in the translation of (mixture-) toxicology into chemical risk assessment. sibylle’s research has a focus on the development and application of novel in vitro approaches with the aim of creating human relevant models for human disease, and reducing the requirement for animal testing. additional interdisciplinary research interests include the impact of climate change on food systems and on human development and health. university positions 2022-current:lecturer in biosciences (endocrinology and metabolism), life sciences, brunel university london 2011-2022: research fellow, environmental sciences, life sciences, brunel university london 2007-2011: postdoctoral research fellow, centre for toxicology, ucl school of pharmacy, london my current research focuses on the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on adipogenesis. my aim is to elucidate how environmental exposures can lead to metabolic disorders such as obesity and which role different fat compartments, such as white and brown adipose tissues may play. a focus is on exposures in early life. in addition, my research interests are in the toxicology of chemical mixtures, the implications of mixture effects for human health and how mixture toxicology impacts on the need for cumulative risk assessment of chemical substances. in the past, i have also investigated the combined effects of genotoxic compounds with focus on aneugenic benzimidazole pesticides but also including agents which act via other modes of action. furthermore, i studied the mixture effects of environmental and food contaminants that act as endocrine disruptors, in particular anti-antiandrogens and estrogens. i am interested in the hypothesis that cumulative exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors and other compounds contributes to the development of human diseases, such as obesity and cancer. human toxicology; metabolism disruption; endocrine disruption; developmental origins of health and disease; mixture toxicology and risk assessment; human relevant in vitro models; novel foods; space travel. biomedical sciences bsc level 3 (fheq6) co-ordinator for biomedical sciences study block lead for medical biochemistry (bb3703) (year 3) contribution to other study blocks: final year project (bb3091) (year 3) endocrine disorders (bb3714) (year 3) biomedical sciences training (bb2601) (year 2) biomedical sciences msc contribution to molecular medicine (bb5606)

i am a doctoral researcher in the environmental sciences department, specialising in analytical chemistry, chemometrics, and machine learning. my research focuses on developing predictive models for hplc retention time across different chromatographic systems. i have a background in chemistry (university of sussex) and forensic science (kingston university), with previous research experience in spectroscopic analysis and multivariate classification modelling. analytical chemistry; chemometrics; machine learning; predictive modelling; chemical data science. previous research experience includes classification modelling of near-infrared spectra using principal component analysis (pca), partial least squares (pls), linear discriminant analysis (lda), and soft independent modelling of class analogy (simca). research title: quantitative structure-retention relationship models to predict gradient high-performance liquid chromatography retention time this research focuses on developing quantitative structure-retention relationship (qsrr) models to predict compound retention in high-performance liquid chromatography (hplc). molecular descriptors and machine learning techniques are used to investigate how chemical structure and physicochemical properties influence retention. the research also incorporates experimental parameters to improve model transferability across chromatographic systems. the overall aim is to develop robust predictive models that can support more efficient chromatographic method development and improve understanding of retention behaviour across chemically diverse compounds. primary supervisor - thomas miller secondary supervisor - leon barron (imperial) industry supervisor - azzedine dabo (gsk)

janna aljoubory is a doctoral researcher in chemical engineering under the supervison of dr. kok siew ng and dr. eleni iacovidou, specialising in a systems analysis of energy-from-waste integrated with carbon capture and storage technologies for the uk to reach net zero before 2050. her phd research project investigates how energy-from-waste (efw) integrated with carbon capture and storage (ccs) can be deployed at commercial scale to support the uk’s net-zero and waste management targets. the research evaluates both incineration and gasification based efw technologies, combining techno-economic assessment (tea), including process simulation modelling on aspen plus, and life cycle assessment (lca) to assess the technical performance, economic viability and environmental impacts of efw+ccs. beyond individual plant performance, the research takes a whole-system perspective using system dynamics modelling to examine how efw+ccs deployment could interact with projected recycling rate and national decarbonisation targets. the research also explores improvement strategies and optimisation pathways to identify the deployment approaches required for successful uk wide commercial implementation. by linking plant-level performance with wider system dynamics, the research provides practical evidence for developing scalable and sustainable efw+ccs pathways capable of contributing to the uk’s transition to net zero. qualifications phd in chemical engineering, brunel unversity of london, april 2023 - present. msc in sustainable cities, king's college london university, 2021. bsc in environmental sciences, brunel university of london, 2020. publications aljoubory, j., iacovidou, e. and ng, ks. (2026) 'a comparative techno-economic and life cycle assessment of energy-from-waste technology integrated with carbon capture and storage'. journal of cleaner production, 572. pp. 1 - 12. issn: 0959-6526 conferences/events presented research on the comparative techno-economic and life cycle assessment of energy-from waste integrated with carbon capture and storage, at the uk carbon capture and storage research council spring conference 2025 at the university of strathclyde, glasgow. research interests focus on the integrated assessment and systems-level deployment of low-carbon technologies, particularly through the combination of techno-economic (tea) and life cycle assessment (lca). this includes evaluating the technical, economic and environmental performance of emerging technologies and understanding their wider interactions through system dynamics modelling. particular interest lies in connecting technology level assessment with commercial scale deployment, national targets, resource availability and infrastructure requirements. these interests focus on identifying optimisation pathways and practical strategies for successful large-scale deployment, bridging the gap between technology assessment and real-world decision-making to support the transition to net zero. sustainable process systems engineering (process simulation and modelling, process integration, low-carbon process design, carbon capture technologies) sustainable waste management (energy-from-waste, waste valorisation, recycling and recovery, resource efficiency) combined techno-economic and life cycle assessment (environmental and economic performance assessment) systems analysis and system dynamic modelling (system-level assessment, scenario analysis, optimisation pathways) decarbonisation and circular economy (policy and stakeholder analysis, waste management and net zero targets, industrial decarbonisation) cl2602 chemical engineering toolbox (graduate teaching assistant) - independently delivered tutorials and aspen plus computational workshops for undergraduates, covering process simulation, heat-exchanger design, performance analysis and distillation, alongside coursework assessment and feedback. cl5611 process design and safety (graduate teaching assistant) - prepared and independently delivered postgraduate lectures and workshops in aspen plus and ccalc2, covering process modelling, optimisation, distillation, reactor selection and four-stage lca, including environmental impact assessment and interpretation. cl5653 emerging low carbon technologies (graduate teaching assistant) - independently mentored postgraduate students on low-carbon technology design projects, guiding technical analysis, deployment challenges, critical evaluation, group discussions and development of project reports and presentations.

i joined brunel university of london in october of 2024, supported by the london nerc doctoral training partnership. prior to embarking on my phd journey, i completed an msc on environmental engineering, wherein i focused on surface water quality and pollution, specifically as and f. my phd project is titled "developing a comprehensive management approach to pfas". it is focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (pfas), which are a class of synthetic chemicals known for their persistence and linked to significant environmental and human health risks.within my project, i've investigated the presence and fate of pfas within the urban water cycle, specifically on england's wastewater systems. building on this, i seek to develop a holistic understanding of treatment alternatives. ultimately, the project aims to translate these findings into a practical framework that allows the decoupling of pfas inputs from the urban water cycle. dr. theodoros giakoumis and dr. eleni iacovidou comprise my supervisory team. publications garcía herrera, a., iacovidou, e., & giakoumis, t. (2026). mapping per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination in england’s surface waterbodies: urban water cycle pathways and governance challenges. the science of the total environment, 1030, 181779. pfas occurrence and fate in the urban water cycle novel wastewater treatment technologies upstream intervention strategies, moving beyond end-of-pipe treatment sustainable engineering circular economy water management policy and governance my areas of research include the occurrence and fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (pfas) within wastewater systems, technology assessment from a sustainability lens, and strategies for addressing pfas pollution that go beyond typical end-of-pipe solutions. moreover, i am interested in the barriers to technology implementation, the trade-offs inherent in emerging contaminant management, and the translation of research into applicable knowledge that informs future solutions.

charmi kapadia is a doctoral researcher in environmental sciences at brunel university of london, supported by an epsrc idla studentship and supervised by dr eleni iacovidou and dr theodoros giakoumis. working in collaboration with anglian water, her research applies the complex value optimisation for resource recovery (cvorr) methodology to advance circular economy practices and support systems-based decision-making in the uk water sector. she brings over seven years of professional experience across water and sanitation, water quality management, environmental and infrastructure planning, sustainability, and government consulting, including work with unicef, wateraid and ey and major national programmes in india including the jal jeevan mission (water mission), rurban mission, affordable housing project (pmay). her work has covered programme planning and implementation, water quality monitoring, infrastructure assessment, data-driven decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. more recently, her work with the yorkshire circular lab at the university of leeds has focused on circular economy and industrial symbiosis. her interdisciplinary background spans civil engineering, urban and regional planning, environmental engineering and circular economy. qualifications phd in environmental sciences, brunel university of london, march 2026 – present. epsrc idla studentship, in collaboration with anglian water. msc environmental engineering and project management, university of leeds, 2024–2025, distinction. master of urban and regional planning, cept university, india, 2014–2016, first class. bachelor of engineering in civil engineering, gujarat technological university, india, 2010–2014, 8.11/10 cgpa. publications and research outputs journal article patel, c., singh, k. and pande, a. (2019) ‘an economic analysis of septic tank emptying services by honey suckers in lucknow, india’, international journal of technical innovation in modern engineering & science, 5(13). online: knowledge-exchange outputs kapadia, c. (2025) working together for net zero: a business guide to industrial symbiosis. yorkshire circular lab, university of leeds, 17 december 2025.online: kapadia, c. (2025) ‘empowering companies through circular economy strategies’, yorkshire circular lab, university of leeds, 17 july 2025.online: patnaik, s., pandey, s.n., patel, c. and madhariya, k. (2023) ‘swachh jal se suraksha: empowering village women of chhattisgarh’, jal jeevan samvad, issue 30, march 2023, p. 19. ministry of jal shakti, government of india. online: madhariya, k., patnaik, s. and patel, c. (2022) ‘jal gunwatta pakhwada: 15 days campaign for water quality control measures’, jal jeevan samvad, issue 23, august 2022, p. 18. ministry of jal shakti, government of india.online: circular economy and circularity assessment water and wastewater systems water quality and sustainable water management resource recovery and resource efficiency mass and resource flow analysis industrial symbiosis systems thinking and decision-support approaches sustainable infrastructure and environmental planning stakeholder engagement and sustainability transitions charmi's phd research focuses on advancing circular economy practices in the uk water and wastewater sector through the application of the complex value optimisation for resource recovery (cvorr) methodology. working in collaboration with anglian water, her research examines how resources and value flow through water recycling centres (wrcs) and sludge treatment centres (stcs), with the aim of identifying opportunities to improve resource recovery and circularity. the research integrates system definition, mass flow analysis (mfa), monetary-flow mapping and stakeholder analysis, alongside a structured assessment of five levels of information: environmental, technical, economic, regulatory and social. together, these dimensions are used to understand system performance and the feasibility of circular interventions within wastewater operations. these analyses will inform the development of a circularity-extended input-output (ceio) tool, designed to assess circularity performance, identify high-impact intervention points and support evidence-based decision-making. ultimately, the research aims to provide a practical and systems-based approach that can support anglian water and the wider uk water sector in evaluating resource recovery opportunities and informing future operational and investment decisions.

i have always had a strong love for nature and all living creatures, but especially the smallest, which developed into my fascination with microorganisms and microscopy. my career path has been unconventional, and prior to my return to academia in uk i had worked in healthcare and opticians. i started my doctoral study in environmental sciences at the department of civil and environmental engineering of brunel university in october 2025. my research focuses on the impact of climate change and antibiotic pollution of riverine systems on the freshwater microbiome. before this, during my bachelor's at roehampton university in 2024 i investigated microplastic ingestion by microorganisms such as ciliates. my current research is funded by the london natural environment research council doctoral training partnership (ldtp2) and i received training alongside nerc trees (training, research and equity in environmental sciences) cohort 1. research interests: freshwater microbiology / ecology / freshwater ecosystems and food webs / microorganisms and bacteria / freshwater pollution: detection, analysis, prevention / pharmaceutical pollution / antibiotic resistance current thesis title: interactive effects of antibiotics and temperature on freshwater bacteria. my research looks at multi-stressor impact on freshwater bacteria living in rivers and streams. freshwater bodies receive constant loading of contamination from human-made pollutants like pharmaceuticals. this pollution is complex and often consists of ‘cocktails’ of pollutants, which in turn can be affected by shifts in temperature. together both of these stressors can cause vital environmental microorganisms, such as bacteria, to respond unpredictably, leading to imbalances in ecosystem functioning performed by bacteria, affecting food webs and contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance in freshwater systems to potential pathogens. previous research by my supervisor dr julia reiss has shown that antibiotic mixtures in the environment can increase harm, even when individual antibiotic concentrations are not harmful (interacting in synergy). to better understand these interactions, i am performing experiments to assess the effects of antibiotic cocktails under diverse temperature scenarios across various freshwater bacterial species. on the other hand, prior experiments have shown some bacteria can naturally break down antibiotics, reducing pollution. and this process -bioremediation can be affected by temperature and other abiotic factors, but also by biotic factors, such as microscopic predators – ciliates. i will be creating micro- food webs to test this. my general aim is to create a model and predict how antibiotic mixtures and temperature jointly influence bacterial communities, ensuring more accurate predictions of ecosystem responses to these stressors. primary supervisor: dr julia reiss secondary supervisor: dr alice baynes

janna aljoubory is a doctoral researcher in chemical engineering under the supervison of dr. kok siew ng and dr. eleni iacovidou, specialising in a systems analysis of energy-from-waste integrated with carbon capture and storage technologies for the uk to reach net zero before 2050. her phd research project investigates how energy-from-waste (efw) integrated with carbon capture and storage (ccs) can be deployed at commercial scale to support the uk’s net-zero and waste management targets. the research evaluates both incineration and gasification based efw technologies, combining techno-economic assessment (tea), including process simulation modelling on aspen plus, and life cycle assessment (lca) to assess the technical performance, economic viability and environmental impacts of efw+ccs. beyond individual plant performance, the research takes a whole-system perspective using system dynamics modelling to examine how efw+ccs deployment could interact with projected recycling rate and national decarbonisation targets. the research also explores improvement strategies and optimisation pathways to identify the deployment approaches required for successful uk wide commercial implementation. by linking plant-level performance with wider system dynamics, the research provides practical evidence for developing scalable and sustainable efw+ccs pathways capable of contributing to the uk’s transition to net zero. qualifications phd in chemical engineering, brunel unversity of london, april 2023 - present. msc in sustainable cities, king's college london university, 2021. bsc in environmental sciences, brunel university of london, 2020. publications aljoubory, j., iacovidou, e. and ng, ks. (2026) 'a comparative techno-economic and life cycle assessment of energy-from-waste technology integrated with carbon capture and storage'. journal of cleaner production, 572. pp. 1 - 12. issn: 0959-6526 conferences/events presented research on the comparative techno-economic and life cycle assessment of energy-from waste integrated with carbon capture and storage, at the uk carbon capture and storage research council spring conference 2025 at the university of strathclyde, glasgow. research interests focus on the integrated assessment and systems-level deployment of low-carbon technologies, particularly through the combination of techno-economic (tea) and life cycle assessment (lca). this includes evaluating the technical, economic and environmental performance of emerging technologies and understanding their wider interactions through system dynamics modelling. particular interest lies in connecting technology level assessment with commercial scale deployment, national targets, resource availability and infrastructure requirements. these interests focus on identifying optimisation pathways and practical strategies for successful large-scale deployment, bridging the gap between technology assessment and real-world decision-making to support the transition to net zero. sustainable process systems engineering (process simulation and modelling, process integration, low-carbon process design, carbon capture technologies) sustainable waste management (energy-from-waste, waste valorisation, recycling and recovery, resource efficiency) combined techno-economic and life cycle assessment (environmental and economic performance assessment) systems analysis and system dynamic modelling (system-level assessment, scenario analysis, optimisation pathways) decarbonisation and circular economy (policy and stakeholder analysis, waste management and net zero targets, industrial decarbonisation) cl2602 chemical engineering toolbox (graduate teaching assistant) - independently delivered tutorials and aspen plus computational workshops for undergraduates, covering process simulation, heat-exchanger design, performance analysis and distillation, alongside coursework assessment and feedback. cl5611 process design and safety (graduate teaching assistant) - prepared and independently delivered postgraduate lectures and workshops in aspen plus and ccalc2, covering process modelling, optimisation, distillation, reactor selection and four-stage lca, including environmental impact assessment and interpretation. cl5653 emerging low carbon technologies (graduate teaching assistant) - independently mentored postgraduate students on low-carbon technology design projects, guiding technical analysis, deployment challenges, critical evaluation, group discussions and development of project reports and presentations.

i am currently a doctoral researcher in the environmental sciences department. since starting my phd in october 2024, i have been researching the greater wax moth (galleria mellonella), its capability to degrade plastics, and how this consumption affects their physiology and metabolome. prior to this, i received an integrated masters in biological sciences from durham university (2019-2023), with my thesis researching recombinant production of bio-pesticides and their effects on cabbage moths (mamestra brassicae) and green pea aphids (acyrthosiphon pisum). i also spent a year as a research assistant at an entomology lab in london (2023-2024), researching insect repellents, insecticides and traps against mosquitos, midges, house flys, ticks and bed bugs. applied entomology insect husbandry analytical chemistry metabolomics pest management novel solutions to plastic recycling my research project investigates how the larvae of the greater wax moth (galleria mellonella) can consume plastics. i have been measuring physiological changes in response to plastic-rich diets from the larvae, and if these plastic-rich diets cause developmental changes as the larvae undergoes metamorphosis. the larvae will also be analysed using an lc-ms/ms approach to indicate potential incorporation of plastic into larval biomass, and measure changes in key metabolic pathways relating to central carbon metabolism. i am also using histology to track effects of plastic consumption on larval organs. supervisory team - dr thomas miller, brunel university (primary supervisor); professor ronan mccarthy, southampton university; dr eleni iacovidou, brunel university.

i am a final-year phd candidate in the centre for pollution research and policy. my project applies a systems-based approach to finding solutions to marine plastic pollution in indonesia from the artisanal fisheries sector. i am passionate about tackling wicked environmental problems through whole-systems thinking and interdisciplinary approaches that create solutions which are not only effective, but truly sustainable. i am driven by the core question:how can communities, particularly those most vulnerable to environmental harms, thrive in the face of climate change and pollution while helping to shape and deliver solutions? my research interests centre on using systems thinking and interdisciplinary approaches to address complex environmental challenges. i am particularly interested in pollution, circular economy approaches, sustainability transitions and environmental governance, with a focus on how environmental, social, economic and political factors interact to shape sustainability challenges and opportunities. i am also interested in participatory and community-led approaches that bring together different forms of knowledge and engage affected communities in developing practical, equitable and context-sensitive solutions that support both environmental sustainability and livelihoods. phd project title: a systems-based approach to finding solutions for marine plastic waste in indonesia primary supervisor: dr eleni iacovidou; secondary supervisor: dr olwenn martin partner organisation: emvitrust (indonesian engo) my phd research applies systems thinking to understand the drivers of fishing plastic pollution in indonesia’s small-scale fisheries. i examine the interconnected material and monetary flows within the system, map the stakeholders involved and their relationships, and analyse how socio-cultural, economic and power dynamics influence the use and management of fishing plastics. by bringing these different dimensions together, i explore how environmental, social, economic, political and technical factors interact to shape plastic pollution and its impacts on fishing communities and ecosystems. i use systems mapping and modelling to understand system dynamics and behaviour, identify feedbacks and interdependencies, and pinpoint leverage points where interventions could reduce plastic pollution while improving the sustainability and resilience of fishing systems.

i am a doctoral researcher funded by the college of health, medicine and life sciences (chmls) phd studentship. my work integrates a bioenergetic framework to understand how protists respond to environmental change by altering the energy allocated to key biological processes. my work links changes at the cellular level to larger community-level patterns to predict how anthropogenic stressors like pollution and warming might alter aquatic microbial communities, with cascading effects across the food web - from primary producers to top predators i am supervised by dr daniel perkins, dr julia reiss and dr thomas miller. i hold a bachelor's degree in zoology from university college london, and a master’s degree in biodiversity and conservation from queen mary university of london. i am interested in how aquatic organisms are adapting to anthropogenic stressors and how this affects community-level processes. my broader research interests include environmental monitoring using novel technologies, citizen science initiatives, community dynamics and food-web networks. title: understanding the response of aquatic micro-organisms to environmental change through the lens of energy allocation my work combines key concepts like the metabolic theory of ecology and the temperature-size rule to model changes in organismal biology and predict large-scale shifts in microscopic communities. using a novel energy budget model allows me to partition the limited energy an organism acquires from its environment and track how that allocation shifts as conditions change. this inevitably helps to track the trade-offs that lead to the observed stress responses. rather than treating the response as a single measurable outcome, this allows us to answer where the energy comes from, and what trade-offs are being made between growth, feeding, maintenance, and activity as conditions change and organisms adapt. i use protists as model organisms to test this model, specifically the ciliate tetrahymena pyriformis, and experimentally manipulate novel environmental conditions and expose them to stressors like warming and pesticides such as imidacloprid and glyphosate.

project title: land use impacts on riverine food webs: comparing tropical and temperate ecosystem responses i am a phd candidate supervised by dr dan perkins, studying aquatic and riparian food webs. my research explores how different animals interact with one another to understand the forces that shape ecological communities. these interactions form intricate organic networks, their structures reavealing a great deal about how ecosystems function and how they respond to change. a central theme of my work is how environmental threats, such as human pressures, alter the patterns of these networks. by comparing food webs across different regions and conditions, i investigate how disturbance reshapes the way energy flows through ecosystems and how communities assemble in response. combining ecological theory with data-driven approaches, my research aims to illuminate the processes that govern the stability and resilience of freshwater and riverside ecosystems, offering insight into how these vital habitats may fare in a rapidly changin world. i have completed my undergrad degree in biology at qmul (2022), proceededing to a two-year master's at stockholm university in ecology and biodiversity (2024). before moving back to london for my phd, i worked at the national history museum in luxembourg to support the formulation and implementation of species protection plans. all my research outputs can be found on my orcid page here. my main interests lie in how ecological networks are structured and how animal communities and interactions are shaped by their environment. to do this, i investigate invertebrate and fish populations, since they are the backbone of stream ecosystems. my doctoral project, funded by the trees dla, is supervised by dr dan perkins at brunel. a large part of my project revolves around investigating the differences between temperate and tropical streams, using the uk and brazil as the two main regions. for this reason i have formed national (dr pavel kratina, qmul) and international (dr victor saito, federal university of são carlos) collaborations that will provide me with support, supervision and expertise to achieve my research goals. other interests, which at times overlap with my research interests, are entomology and spider ecology. ecology, food web ecology, trophic interactions, energetic networks, allochthonous interactions freshwater ecosystems, aquatic ecology, aquatic animals, riverflies biodiversity and conservation

i am a doctoral researcher in the environmental sciences department. my research focuses on the impact pfas (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as forever chemicals, have on the metabolism of aquatic macroinvertebrates. i am a part of the london nerc doctoral training partnership cohort 10, who provide the funding for my research. before starting my phd at brunel in october of 2023, i completed my master's research project here, as a visiting researcher, working on some initial analysis of pfas. i have completed an msc in forensic science at king's college london and a bsc in forensic science at the university of central florida. one of my principal research interests is forensic science; i spent five years studying the subject during my undergraduate and master's. within forensic science, i have interest in dna analysis, drug chemistry, and wildlife crime. my current key areas of expertise are analytical chemistry and environmental science. research title: determination of lipid disregulation by per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in aquatic macroinvertebrates this research focuses on the analysis and uptake of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (pfas) in freshwater snails (biomphalaria glabrata). it also examines how exposure to pfas affects their metabolism, specifically through lipidomics. this work is done using solid phase extraction (spe) to isolate a variety of pfas (up to 30) from the snail matrix and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lc-ms/ms) to quantitate the pfas and analyse the changes in the snails' fatty acids. lipid changes and pfas uptake will be monitored in both snail embryos and adults, while also looking for morphological changes that may occur. supervisors: thomas miller (primary) and alice baynes (secondary) funding: the ukri's london nerc doctoral training partnership

inés buetow peláez is a doctoral researcher investigating material reuse networks and the circular economy in the uk's audiovisual industry. her research explores how waste streams stemming from the uk's audiovisual production sector are processed, and examines material reuse networks and their key drivers and barriers. the project also investigates how uk waste management policies shape the governance, incentives and legitimacy of these material reuse networks, and what forms of multidimensional value (environmental, economic, social, technical) are generated through material reuse initiatives in the uk's audiovisual sector. the research aims to contribute to industry policy improvements, particularly organisational strategies and policy frameworks to help accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable circular economy. inés is a grand union doctoral partnership (gudtp) scholar and co-editor-in-chief of the grand union magazine. she holds a basc (hons.) from university college london and an mphil in global and area studies from the university of oxford. supervision team: professor david gallear; dr eleni iacovidou rda: professor louise mansfield inés is particularly interested in exploring research involving material reuse, environmental policy and material waste streams in creative industries. more generally, her research areas include sustainability in film and television production, sustainable theatre production, sustainable events management and uk environmental policy. in addition, she is interested in exploring the concept of 'value' (social, social, environmental) within the context of circular economy and sustainability frameworks in both public and private sector policy.