John Lees
I’m a final year PhD student studying adaptive organismal biology. Although my biological interests are very broad, my specialist subjects would be locomotor biomechanics and energetics. As well as being the scientist son of a rock star, I’m a half decent cornet player, a quarter decent skier and a rubbish photographer.
Charlotte Brassey
I completed my undergraduate degree in Geography and Geology in the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Science at the University of Manchester. Currently, I’m studying for my PhD in Biomechanics in the Faculty of Life Science, supervised by Dr Bill Sellers.
My research interests include morphometric and scaling analyses of vertebrate hind limbs, the use of beam theory and finite element analysis in skeletal stress estimation and the application of in-situ loading to rapid scan micro- computed tomography of bones. I am also interested in exploring the potential uses for photogrammetric modelling when applied to biological specimens.
Kayleigh Rose
In 2007, I crossed the Wales-England border to carry out my undergraduate degree in Zoology at the University of Manchester where I developed an interest in vertebrate physiology and locomotion. I’m currently studying for a PhD in Adaptive Organismal Biology; specialising in the energetics and biomechanics of avian terrestrial locomotion.
I have a CASE partnership with the Manchester Museum for which I make a contribution to the avian natural history collections, and I also teach Key Stage 3-5 Biology in the Manchester Museum LifeLab.
Peter Tickle
I am a post-doctoral researcher in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester. After reading zoology at Manchester, I conducted my PhD research on the physiology and biomechanics of breathing and locomotion in birds. My research demonstrated how the anatomy and physiology of breathing in birds is determined by adaptation to primary mode of locomotion. Over the course of my PhD I researched aspects of avian development, biomechanics, exercise physiology and even palaeontology.
My current post allows me to further my interest in how birds breathe and the potential constraint that is imposed by large, heavy breast muscles, which are a desirable trait in meat-producing broiler birds.
