Arianwen Herbert

The focus of my DPhil is an investigation of the mechanisms by which phytoplankton evolve and adapt to the lack of nutrients in the surface ocean (oligotrophy). Chlorophyta (green algae) are dominant eukaryotic primary producers in oligotrophic oceans that contribute significantly to CO2 fixation. They are expected to increase in abundance as the oceans warm, yet key members of this group have only recently been described. This limits our understanding of how they have evolved to inhabit nutrient poor waters and our ability to make predictions about how these important organisms might respond to global change. In my DPhil I integrate an experimental approach, measuring biochemical and physiological parameters, with a range of omics and metagenomics to answer these important questions.

My DPhil is with the Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP, funded by the St John’s College/UKRI Scholarship.

I have a background in biochemistry and microbiology and have delivered tutorials for the bacteriology module (Biology Department). 

Education: MBio Biochemistry 2019-2023, First Class (with honours), University of Warwick

Awards:

• University of Warwick School of Life Sciences Prize for Top Performance for the highest performing MBio student of the 2023 graduating class.
• Royal Society of Biology Top Project Award for the best MBio project.
• Rosa Jane Small Prize for the graduating student with outstanding potential for postgraduate study and a career in research.

Previous research projects:

• Master's Thesis: Time-resolved transcriptomics and In Vivo testing reveal anti-phage function of E. coli P2-like prophage (97%, RSB Top Project Award)
• Summer studentship: Investigating a potential toxin/antitoxin system in Phage T4 and observing short term convolution of wild-type and mutant T4 with E. Coli.
• Undergraduate Dissertation: Preliminary Characterisation of CRISPR/Cas in Marine Cyanobacteria (83%)

I prioritise science communication, public engagement with research and outreach alongside my DPhil research. I am a reporter for the New Scientist, run my own science communication channels on social media (@scienceformymum, with a following of 50,000+), and have organised the Oxford Pint of Science. I regularly take activities to outreach events with colleagues within the university and across different organisations, working with a number of organisations including the Museum of Natural History, UKRI NERC, National Oceanography centre and The Royal Society.