معرفی
Mark J F Brown is Professor in Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation at the Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Royal Holloway, University of London. His research focuses on three interconnected strands using bees as model systems: evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions, conservation biology of insects, and general biology of social insects. With over 174 research outputs and leadership of 16 projects (4 active), he maintains a prominent research program addressing critical pollinator health issues.
Professor Brown's research interests span evolutionary ecology, particularly host-parasite dynamics in bee systems, where he investigates virulence expression, multi-host parasite systems, and transcriptomic responses. His conservation work examines global pollinator declines, focusing on bees as essential pollinators, and explores DNA barcoding for solitary bee identification. His social insect research covers foraging behavior, mating biology, and colony founding. His work contributes significantly to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.
Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong trends in pollinator-parasite interactions at landscape scales, with increasing focus on molecular mechanisms, chemical ecology, and conservation applications. His work bridges fundamental evolutionary questions with urgent conservation needs, particularly regarding pesticide impacts, disease spillover between managed and wild pollinators, and climate change effects on host-parasite systems.
His scientific recognition includes two major awards in 2023: the Outstanding Doctoral Supervision Award from Royal Holloway University of London and the Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards. His work has received significant attention with coverage across 92+ news outlets, 20+ Facebook pages, and incorporation into policy documents.
Professor Brown leads several major research initiatives including Callunene (funded by NERC), WILDPOSH (European Commission), and the Global Assessment of Pollinator Dependence of Medicinal Plants. His research group supervises numerous students and has produced extensive scholarly output across journals like Nature, Nature Ecology & Evolution, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B. His lab webpage (www.markjfbrown.com) provides further details on ongoing projects and team members.
The Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour at Royal Holloway provides the institutional home for his research, which integrates field and laboratory approaches to address fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology with direct conservation applications. His collaborative network spans multiple countries and disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern pollinator research.
