Dr Scott Hayward

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Our lab seeks to characterise how organisms detect, repair and stabilize the cellular and molecular damage induced by environmental stress; the magnitude and limitations of these responses, and their impact upon fitness and species ecology.

Work in the group addresses rapid, seasonal and long term (evolutionary) adaptations to environmental change using temperate, polar and tropical terrestrial invertebrate species. The group currently has four areas of research.

1. Environmentally adaptive dormancies - insect diapause: Insect diapause represents the main strategy evolved by temperate insects to: a) coordinate their growth, development and reproduction (phenology) with annual cycles of changing environmental conditions; and b) survive seasonally recurring chronic forms of environmental stress.

We seek to identify key mechanisms underpinning diapause and its enhanced stress tolerance phenotype, the potential impact of climate change on diapause, and how this might disrupt the synchrony between insect species and their environment.

This work has direct relevance to enhancing food security and we collaborate with industry partners involved in the commercial production of insects for both pollination and biocontrol.

2. Molecular mechanisms underpinning multi-stressor responses: Using a range of insect model systems, we employ state-of-the-art post-genomic, reverse genetic, metabolomic and lipidomic approaches to identify the molecular mechanisms that underpin temperature stress adaptation and how this can be disrupted by other stressors.

3. Life in extreme environments: Through a long-standing collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), our group investigates ecophysiological strategies employed by polar terrestrial invertebrates to cope with extreme environmental conditions. We also examine the threat of climate change and invasive species to polar ecosystems, as well as the biogeography and evolutionary biology of polar insects.

4. Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) Free Air Carbon Enrichment (FACE) Facility: BIFoR FACE is a 10 year experiment examining the effect of elevated CO2 on mature temperate woodland ecosystems. Our group is spearheading insect research at this facility, documenting changing patterns of biodiversity, abundance and phenology, as well as plant-insect interactions with select herbivore and pollinator species.

Scientific Inspiration

My inspiration to become a biologist was David Attenborough – cheesy, but true – watching the documentary series “Life on Earth” started me on this path.

There are many scientists who are an inspiration for different reasons – Professor David Saunders (Emeritus - Edinburgh University) for introducing me to insect biology; Professor David Denlinger (Emeritus – Ohio State University) for the way he runs his lab; Professor Pete Convey (British Antarctic Survey) for a prolific ability to write; Professor Andrew Cossins (Emeritus -Liverpool University) for never being afraid to try new things.

Research Groups

Biosystems and Environmental Change

Biodiversity and Ecology

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Guiding, supportive, collaborative.

Provision of Training

From the beginning of your PhD their will guidance in undertaking core methods relevant to the project, but with an expectation for you to independently perfect these and develop appropriate changes to methodology.

Your training will be a collaborative effort between me, postdocs and PhDs in my lab (as well as co-supervisors labs). Where we see an opportunity to employ new methods beyond the scope of my own lab, I will give guidance in seeking additional support, training (and funding if needed).

Progression Monitoring and Management

I will set out my expectations of your progression at weekly lab meetings, with more detailed discussions on a monthly basis. If these progression criteria are not met we will always discuss a plan of action together. I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals I set, as well as the goals you set for yourself. Indeed, I expect PhD students to set additional project goals.

Communication

Communication is key, and I maintain regular communication with all members of my lab. There is great flexibility during a PhD in how you manage your work/life balance, but whenever this is a challenge, we will work through solutions together. My lab communicates project outcomes through many outlets – how we present our work on these platforms (including social media) is important and should always we discussed with the supervisory team.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per fortnight. These meetings will be a mixture of face-to-face and via video chat or telephone. I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days per week.

Working Pattern

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings), I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Multi-stressor environment impacts on beneficial insects

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Multi-stressor environment impacts on beneficial insects

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Scott Glaberman

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Animal Health and Welfare)

Project Outline

Beneficial insects (BIs), e.g. pollinators and biocontrol species, are critical to ensuring food security and ecosystem health. These insects are increasingly exposed to different cocktails of pesticides in combination with multiple other environmental stressors, which is driving steep declines in abundance and biodiversity. In many agricultural settings, BIs have to be purchased in huge quantities from commercial suppliers to ensure economically viable crop yields.

Work from our lab has shown that sub-lethal pesticide exposure can significantly impact BI performance, e.g. temperature adaptation and seasonal dormancy (diapause). Even slight disruption of these processes can be catastrophic for insects, especially species with bottlenecks in their populations over winter, e.g. bumble bees (where only queens enter diapause). Despite the importance of understanding BI responses to multi-stressor environments, very few studies that have employed a systems biology approach to investigate the physiological and molecular processes underpinning pesticide disruption of environmental stress adaptation. Yet this information is crucial to establishing integrated pest and BI management (IPBIM) strategies. This research also has fundamental applications in understanding insect dormancy and stress tolerance more broadly, with real world applications in conservation and commercial insect production

This project will employ state-of-the-art physiological and molecular techniques to investigate how key BI species respond to combined stress events, as well as quantifying impacts on survival and performance. These results will be placed in the broader context of food security and ecosystem consequences.

Core objectives: 1) Characterise physiological and molecular processes underpinning insect stress and dormancy responses. 2) Determine the impact of pesticide exposure in disrupting these responses. 3) Develop new strategies of IPBIM and commercial insect culturing practises.