Dr Andy Foggo

After deciding to read Zoology at Oxford for my undergraduate level studies and following a path which saw me becoming interested in the biodiversity of less popular, less charismatic groups of organisms during my D.Phil., I spent a few years post-doc.ing, ending up on a junior research Fellowship at my old Oxford College. That post was the starting point of my involvement in the ecology of forest canopy insect faunas and ultimately led to an application for a job here in Plymouth which resulted in my first full-time academic post. I was one of six founder members of the Benthic Ecology Research Group which morphed over time into the Marine biology and Ecology Research Group with 16 full-time academics; the move to Plymouth gave me the impetus to rekindle a boyhood fascination with marine biology. I am now fully converted into an ex-entomologist interested in the broad ecology of aquatic systems, and have swapped terrestrial forests for marine ones, focusing on the interactions occurring between seaweeds and the fauna they support. My activities now are split between my teaching/admin roles and my research. 

For almost a decade now I have also worked with the clinical trials unit at Derriford Hospital as a contributor to the management of clinical trials into treatments for Parkinson's Disease; I was diagnosed with PD myself over a decade ago.

Qualifications

Associate Professor in Ecology, University of Plymouth (2015 - )

Lecturer in Ecology, University of Plymouth (1996-2015)

Drapers Company Junior Research Fellow, St Anne's College, Oxford (1995-1996)

Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Oxford (1993-1994)

Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Cambridge (1993)

DPhil, University of Oxford (1992)

Wiener Anspach Research Fellow, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium (1989-1990)

BA, University of Oxford (1987)

Teaching interests

In terms of teaching, I lead the postgraduate module in research skills and methods and deliver a significant part of that module dealing with numerical techniques and study designs. I lead the dissertation module for the MRes in Marine Biology as a hang over from leadership of that programme. I'm also involved in teaching on the degrees forming the Marine Biology undergraduate scheme, delivering materials related to natural history and taxonomy, biostatistics, and the ecology of biodiversity. My major administrative role has now switched to being Admissions Tutor for the Marine Biology degree scheme, 3 courses which collectively received over 600 applications for the present academic year.

Staff serving as external examiners

External Validator: School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey at Roehampton.

External Examining: University of Oxford (D.Phil), University of Surrey (PhD), Bangor University (PhD), Swansea University (PhD)

Research interests

My main research interests are divided into two main areas within aquatic ecology. One deals with grazer - alga interactions and in particular the role of induced and constitutive defences in seaweeds as mediators of trophic interactions and carbon export potential in a changing biosphere. I collaborate with Dr Dan Smale of the MBA, Drs Tony Knights and Louise Firth and Professor Jason Hall-Spencer here at Plymouth, and Dr. Albert Pessarrodona at UWA in Perth. I also have interests that stem from application of numerical and statistical techniques to ecological questions, these include studies of spatial distributions and macroecology in marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats such as diversity patterns in the deep sea (in collaboration with Professor Kerry Howell), patterns of invasion of freshwater systems by alien macrophytes (with Professor David Bilton) and studies of non-native seaweeds in coastal habitats. Currently I am supervising 2 PhD students as co-supervisor: Sam Tasker is working on invasion of freshwaters by the alien New Zealand stonecrop, Crassula helmsii and Franz Bauer is studying Biodiversity of the marine built environment and its ecosystem functioning.

Research groups

• Ecology and Evolution Research Group
• Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre (MBERC)

Other research

For almost a decade now I have also worked with the clinical trials unit at Derriford Hospital as a contributor to the management of clinical trials into treatments for Parkinson's Disease; I was diagnosed with PD myself over a decade ago. Currently I have an interest in the use of pre-symptomatic brain imaging (scans taken for other purposes) in the prediction of PD using machine learning / AI (principle researchers Dr Stephen Mullin and Ms Megan Courtman)

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

G.M. Prowse. PhD, 2003 (DoS)

M.T. Frost. PhD, 2003 (supervisor)

R. Power. M.Phil. (2004) DoS

L. MacAbendroth PhD 2005 (supervisor)

C.S. Mesher PhD 2009 (DoS)

S.L. deAmicis PhD 2012 (DoS)

N. Biber 2017 PhD (supervisor)

Grants & contracts

2013: Scaling empirically derived ocean acidification responses to naturally assembled systems. NERC £90,846. Co-I

PI - Rastrick, Co-I's: Solan, Hauton, Mark, Hall-Spencer, Foggo, Whitelely, Steel, Parker & Scott

2013: Influence of population connectivity on depth-dependent diversity of deep-sea marine benthic biota
NERC £1,121,585. Co-I

PI - Howell 

Conferences organised

Organising Committee Member: Aquatic Habitats as Ecological Islands. BES/FBA/MBA sponsored meeting 2000

Organising Committee Member: Climate Change and Aquatic Systems: Past, Present & Future. BES/FBA/MBA sponsored meeting 2004