My research interests have focused on the understanding and manipulation of gut ecosystems to improve animal productivity while reducing the environmental impact of animal husbandry.

I graduated from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with BSc Honours in Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition in 1981. I then  went onto do a PhD on Microbial metabolism of lactic acid in the rumen at the Hannah Research Institute in Scotland. Prior to joining SRUC I was Professor of Animal Science and Director of Research and Enterprise at the Institute of Biological and Rural Sciences, Aberyswyth University, Wales.  Prior to joining the Aberystwyth University in 2003, I was based at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen for 16 years.

PhD Students Supervised  (19 successful PhD students to date, last 10 years)

Olga Lucia Mayorga Mogollon. Biofilms in the Rumen .Funded by Colombian Government. (awarded 2009)

Eric Pinloche. Molecular profiling of the bovine gut. Industrially funded. (awarded 2009).

Tina Blackmore. Microbial stability in the equine hindgut. University funded  (awarded 2012).

Tim Snelling Gene Transfer in Gut Protozoa.  University Funded.  (awarded 2011).

Florence Prive. Lipases in the rumen. University Funded.  (awarded 2012).

Kirsty McDougal. Is there a core metagenome in the equine hindgut. BBSRC Case studentship (awarded 2014).

Kate Waddams. Early life programing of the rumen. Industrially funded.  (awarded 2014).

Jolien Veneman. Methane mitigation in the rumen. Industrially funded.  (awarded 2015)

Francesco Rubino. Identification of the key rumen microbial communities contributing to methane production in cattle. Teagasc funded. (awarded 2016).

Simon Peter Gathira Muchira. Manipulating fibre digestion in the rumen. Commonwealth Scholarship. (awarded 20209).

Natalie Meades. Improving productivity whilst decreasing environmental damage in Pastoral Agriculture using Crystalyx Technology. Industrially funded (awarded 2020)

Selected Funding recent

• PI Defining new phenotypes for forage and crop by-products improvement based on rumen function and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. UK CGIAR Partnership Development Scheme
• PI TS/X012921/1 Daffodil enabled Climate friendly ruminant production: Dancing with daffodils Farming Futures R&D Fund: Climate smart farming UKRI
• Co-PI HORIZON-CL6-2021-CLIMATE-01Re-Livestock. Facilitating Innovations for Resilient Livestock Farming Systems (2022-2027)
• Co-PI.H2020-EU3.2.1.1 HOLORUMINANT: Understanding microbiomes of the ruminant holobiont
• Co-PI. BBS/E/W/10964A01D, Bio-mining the rumen for enzymes with industrial potential)
• Co-PI. BBS/E/W/10964A01B, Functional dynamics of the microbiome
• BS/P013007/1 Novel methods to identify and isolate bio-active iminosugars for rumen manipulation
• Co-Pi. BB/P022499/1. Developing rice straw for animal feed
• British Council Newton funds, Using systems biology to improve feed conversion efficiency, lower the environmental impact and increase the profitability of beef production.
• Pi . British Council Newton funds. Improving competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of dairy production in the High Tropics of Colombia.
• Pi . Climate KIC Reduced Methane Emissions from Ruminants – RuMeClean