Shireen Davies

Biography

Shireen Davies is currently working as a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology

Research Interest

I am interested in how organisms tolerate and survive environmental stress, and so use the model insect Drosophila melanogaster to understand this process from the molecular level to whole organisms and species. In particular, we seek to understand the key roles of peptide hormones (neuropeptides), which act on epithelial cells and tissues in stress survival. We utilise approaches including molecular and cellular biology, physiology, peptide analogues and the ‘omic' technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics). Using these approaches in Drosophila, we can address fundamental questions of mechanisms of stress tolerance in vivo, which can also be applied to biomedicine (e.g. metabolic, oxidative stress, renal development). We can also increase understanding of insect physiology, and are working on novel insecticide targets for Food Security (insect pests of agriculture, horticulture and forestry), and for Human and Animal Health (insect vectors of disease) by working on pest insect species and by developing novel assays/screens. Our research is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); the European Union's Horizon 2020 funding programme - nEUROSTRESSPEP (Coordinator) and RenalTract; and by industry and other organisations.