Paul Hurd

Dr Paul Hurd is an Associate Professor in Genome Regulation and Epigenetics at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences. He is a core member of the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology and the Centre for Evolutionary and Functional Genomics. His research focuses on understanding epigenetic mechanisms, particularly in honey bees, exploring how chromatin states and functional genomics underpin phenotypic plasticity and developmental processes.

Dr Hurd's academic career includes roles in teaching courses such as Genes and Bioinformatics (BIO223) and Functional Genomics and Epigenetics (BIO327). He has secured significant research grants, including a £672,317 BBSRC grant for studying nutrition's role in epigenetic modulation of honeybee development (2022–2026). He collaborates internationally, including with the University of Munster on genomic experiments.

His research themes span honeybee epigenetics, chromatin structure, and the evolution of epigenetic systems in diverse organisms. Notable projects investigate how environmental and genetic factors shape gene regulation, with implications for developmental biology and ecology. He leads a research group including students such as Nancy Ellis and Keroshini Guynes, advancing studies in insect genomics and epigenetic plasticity.

Hurd’s publications (over 30 since 1999) emphasize epigenetic mechanisms, chromatin dynamics, and comparative genomics. His work bridges molecular biology and ecology, with recent focus on annelid and hymenopteran epigenetic systems. He is also engaged in systems biology approaches to understand multi-scale biological processes.