Post Graduate template
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Calvin Mehl(MSc candidate)
BSc Biology (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biology (UKZN)Cum Laude
Email: / Brief Description of Research(Max. 100 words)
Wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) are associated with high concentrations of organicand inorganic pollutants. The effect these pollutants have on the organs and metabolism of insectivorous bats at these sites is well documented. However, very little is known about the effect these pollutant cocktails have on the holobiont. This research looks at the effect of foraging at WWTWs on virus and gut bacterial diversity in the insectivorous bat, Neoromicia nana.
Supervisors
Dr.Daléne Vosloo (UKZN)
Prof Corrie Schoeman (UKZN)
Prof Carlos Bezuidenhout (NWU)
Prof Wolfgang Preiser (SUN)
Shannon Reardon (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biological Sciences (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biological Sciences (UKZN) Summa Cum Laude
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
My research involves determining the effects of wastewater on birds in KZN. Taxonomic and functional diversity of avian species will be compared between two wastewater treatment sites and two clean sites between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Furthermore, a comparison of blood and feather samples between water birds from the four sites will allow a comparison of heavy metal concentrations and blood counts to establish if wastewater has negative effects on the health of water birds.
Supervisor(s)
Dr. Daléne Vosloo
Prof Colleen Downs
Dr. Barry Taylor
Angelique Lazarus (MSc Candidate)
BSc Environmental Science (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biological Science (UKZN)
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
My study investigates the success of scarp forest restoration at Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Community Reforestation Project using three ecological attributes – small mammal diversity, vegetation structure and ecological processes. Small mammals form the most diverse mammal order, perform vital ecological roles as predators, prey and even ecosystem engineers, and are considered valuable indicators of habitat integrity; they are therefore ideal model taxa to assess success of restoration efforts.
I am currently analysing the diet and trophic structure of small mammal assemblages using stable isotope analysis to assess the third ecological attribute, specifically test predictions from competition and habitat filtering hypotheses.
Supervisor(s)
Dr. Daléne Vosloo
Prof M. CorrieSchoeman
WyzenBogaard (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biology (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biology (UKZN)
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
I am currently investigating the possible teratogenic effects of cadmium contamination on the early development of Nile crocodiles. I will focus on possible changes in the sex phenotype, various morphological endpoints and testis morphology.
Supervisor(s)
Dr.Daléne Vosloo
Nimisha Singh (PhD Candidate)
BSc Biomedical Science (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biological Sciences (UKZN)
MSc Biological Sciences (UKZN)
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
I am currently completing a PhD by investigating the epigenetic effects of the glucocorticoid receptor on small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Focus of study was the use of demethylating agents to remove the methylation groups at the GR promoter level in SCLC lines to evaluate its expression on cell death. The specific agents experimented with was 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine and, a bioactive food component extracted from soybean, genistein. The influence of the tobacco carcinogen, NNK, on the GR in SCLC, specifically at the promoter level and DNA damage.
Supervisor(s)
Dr. Paula Sommer
Dr. Daléne Vosloo
Genevieve E. Marsden (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biology (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biology (UKZN), Cum Laude
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
I am studying how bats are able to cope with urban environments, based upon recent adaptations as well as ancestral evolutionary changes, by determining the strength of predictor traits, calculating phylogenetic signals for these traits and reconstructing ancestral states. I track intra- and interspecific variation in thermal changes of bats across an altitude gradient by measuring their body temperature during induced arousal from torpor.
Finally, I am measuring if changes in arousal temperature correspond to UCP-1 transcript levels in bats utilizing wastewater treatment works. These combined studies help me to elucidate how bats cope with the continually changing environment of the Anthropocene.
Supervisors
Dr.Daléne Vosloo
Prof M. CorrieSchoeman
PhumzileAfrika (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biological Sciences (UKZN)
BSc Hons Biological Sciences (UKZN)
Email: / Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
I am studying the effect of foraging at wastewater treatment works on liver corticosterone concentrations, condition (hepatosomatic index, splenic somatic index, renal somatic index), immune function (IFN α, IFN β and CD4 transcript levels)and ectoparasite load in the banana bat, Neoromicia nana.
Supervisor(s)
Dr. Daléne Vosloo
Prof M. CorrieSchoemaan