I access representative at St Hugh's College, Oxford. I delivered this session with sixth form students in a North East London comprehensive school about studying biology at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels. In the second half of the session, I delivered an activity on vector ecology.
3. SECONDARY SCHOOL
Walthamstow School for
Girls
Mossbourne Community
Academy
GCSEs:
Triple Science
Spanish
History
RE
English
Mathematics
A levels:
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
EPQ
AS level:
Mathematics
5. Day in the life of a Biology Undergrad
Time Activity
9:00 – 10:00 Lecture
10:00 – 13:00 Practical Class, e.g. dissection,
biochemistry
14:00 – 15:00 Lecture
15:00 onwards Tutorial Prep / Tutorial
Extra Curricular:
- JCR Access and
Outreach
Representative
- Rock climbing
instructor
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Yoga
12. Day in the life of an MRes student
Time Activity
9:00 – 10:00 Lecture
10:00 – 12:00 Practical Class
13:00 – 14:00 Lecture
14:00 – 16:00 Practical Class
Time Activity
9:00 – 10:00 Reading research
articles
11:00 – 12:00 Lab meeting
13:00 – 15:00 Writing up
15:00-18:00 Data analysis
Taught Modules Research
Extra Curricular:
- President of Rock
Climbing Society
- Cycling
- Yoga
- GCSE Science Tutor
18. Day in the life of a PhD student
Taught Modules Research
Time Activity
9:00 – 10:00 Lecture
10:00 – 12:00 Practical Class/
Project
13:00 – 14:00 Lecture
14:00 – 16:00 Practical Class/
Project
Time Activity
9:00 – 10:00 Reading research
articles
11:00 – 12:00 Supervisor/ One
slide Meeting
13:00 – 15:00 Writing up
15:00-18:00 Data analysis
Extra Curricular:
- MCR Access and
Outreach
Representative
- Rock climber for the
University team
- Acro-yoga
24. • Grades: A*AA (A* in science or Maths)
• Subjects: Biology or Chemistry AND Maths or Physics
• Duration: 3 or 4 years
• Admissions Tests: none
Biological Sciences Requirements
26. • Work Experience
• Summer Schools (e.g. UNIQ)
• Public Lectures / Ted Talks
• Exploring Surrounding Nature
• Science Articles / Popular Science Books
What you could be doing now
27. • Curious
• Critical
• Quantitative
• Patient
• Resilient
• Observant
Skills of a good scientist
29. ACADEMIA
Research
University Teaching, e.g.
lecturing, tutorials, running
lab practicals/ field trips
How can you use a Biology degree?
NON-ACADEMIA
Public Health
Sustainability
Pharmaceuticals
Civil Service
Science Journalism
Forensic Science
32. • How the ecology of vectors of disease
influences disease spread
• For example, via
- Species interactions
- Abiotic environmental
conditions
What is vector ecology?
33. • How the ecology of vectors of disease
influences disease spread
• For example, via
- Species interactions
- Abiotic environmental
conditions
What is vector ecology?
Christiansen-Jucht et al. 2014
34. Why is vector ecology important?
• Examples: Malaria, Dengue, Zika Virus
• Vector-borne diseases amount to 17% of all infectious diseases
• They cause 700 000 deaths per year
• The geographical range of many vectors is expanding
WHO, 2020
35. EXAMPLE: influence of temp
•Temperature influences the ecology
of mosquito vectors.
• Higher environmental
temperature causes a decrease
the likelihood of larval survival in
the mosquito Anopheles gambiae
Christiansen-Jucht et al. 2014
36. How can we use knowledge of disease
ecology to prevent disease spread?
37. How can we use knowledge of disease
ecology to prevent disease spread?
Disease Ecology: how
ecology influences
disease spread.
Hint, think about
changing:
1. Species interactions
2. Abiotic
environmental
conditions
39. How could we test your idea (choose
one)?
Think about…
1. Hypothesis
2. Method
3. Experiment Design
40. • CRISPR-Cas9 technology
• Release of genetically modified
mosquitoes into the environment
Use of mosquito Genetic Modification
41. How could you genetically modify a
mosquito to prevent disease spread?
42. EXAMPLE: Sterile Insect Technique
Friendly™ Technology, OXITEC
• Type of GM mosquito
• GM males released into wild
populations
• Results in sterile offspring
45. Mathematical Ecology
• Use ordinary differential equations to simulate mosquito
populations
• Allows you to predict the effect of changes in the
environment on mosquito populations
48. EXAMPLE: mosqutio species interactions
• Actually, very simple concepts
Change in mosquito population size = births – deaths
• The parameters (the symbols and letters!) in the model refer to
the processes that cause the births and deaths
