DrMark Pickering

My research is broadly focused on understanding the factors underpinning the structure and function of the nervous system. We take a broad approach to this question, ranging from understanding the process of development and repair of myelin in the nervous system, and the impact of mechanical forces on development of the structure of peripheral nerves, through to mapping the dynamic structure of complete nervous systems in simple organisms, specifically the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus. We use these animals as model organisms to understand the interactions between the structure of the nervous system, the behaviour of these animals, and the environment in which they live.

In addition to my research on the neurobiology of ctenophores, we are also interested in the biology of the adhesive produced by the colloblast cells in ctenophores, both in terms of its basic biology and its potential applications, and the impact of marine microplastics on these animals and their behaviour.

The application of simple fabrication methods such as 3D printing to development of low cost and flexible lab tools, such as microscopes, is also a key part of the work of my lab. Specifically, we have developed a number of low cost, open and accessible microscopes for automated slide scanning, continuous monitoring of cells in culture, and automated detection of microplastics in water samples.