Dr Graham Luke

Biography

After graduating from Leicester University I was employed as a technician within the Psychology Department and then the Department of Pure and Applied Zoology at Reading. I then studied for a PhD within that department as a research assistant investigating the clustering of homeobox genes in the Cephalochordate, Branchiostoma floridae. This was funded by the BBSRC. Following this I was a post-doctoral researcher investigating firstly the evolution and phylogenetics of FOX genes in a variety of invertebrate taxa (Oxford and Reading University) and then the effect on the transcriptomic/proteomic profile of embryonic musculature under treatment with the myogenic factors follistatin and myostatin (here at the University of Reading). Following this I became a technician again. I am based on the first floor of the Hopkins Building where I manage the microscopy facility and support laboratory workers including undergraduate project students. I also have a large teaching aspect to my work (I am registered on the PGCAP programme here at Reading). In the past I have been the Module coordinator of a (now discontinued) Marine Biology Field Work Course, and lectured in the Invertebrate Zoology module, and was a tutor in the Science Communication module (now discontinued). At present I am the Module coordinator of two Second year UG Vertebrate Zoology modules, and lecture in the Animal Plant and Microbial Development Module. I also provide demonstrating support in some practical classes.

Research Interest

Vertebrate Zoology modules, Animal Plant and Microbial Development Module.