39. Gene Therapy for Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Nicholas Kelly, Biosciences - Development, Regeneration and Neurophysiology, 2-3pm

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), often referred to as brittle bone disease, is a genetic condition with characteristic bone fragility and deformation resulting in impaired quality of life. The majority of OI cases result from mutations in the genes responsible for the production of type I collagen, a key component of bone. As of today, no gene therapy approaches for OI exist and current treatment options provide only minor improvements in disease condition. My project seeks to develop a gene therapy approach for OI, in which I will first generate bone cells (osteoblasts) from patient-derived stem cells both with and without OI-related mutations and perform detailed analysis to establish any differences in the resulting tissues in vitro. I then aim to devise a gene therapy strategy that utilises gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 to silence the mutant copy of the collagen gene. Finally, I will evaluate the efficiency of my gene therapy approach in alleviating any observable OI characteristics. 

40. Probing Borate Rearrangements to Give Heterocyclic Products   

Kian Stevens, Chemistry, 2-3pm

Pyrrolidine is a N-heterocyclic ring. Much like all ring systems, they are present in drugs to dictate various molecular properties such as bioavailability. N-Heterocycles tend to be more useful than other ring systems as nitrogen can form interactions with binding sites and receptors. However, whilst drugs benefit from high geometric/structural diversity, most ring systems in drugs are aromatic (and planar). Usage of pyrrolidines as pharmaceutical building blocks is typically performed via reactions such as the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling, which would require a boronic ester function. Unfortunately, there are few synthetic routes which construct borylated pyrrolidine ring systems and some routes exhibit narrow substrate scopes. In this work, the reaction of β-aminoethyl pinacol boronates with diphenylvinylsulfonium triflate triggers a conjugate addition/cyclisation/1,2-borate rearrangement cascade, providing a simple route to borylated pyrrolidine ring systems. 

41. Physiological Trade-offs in Arabidopsis Under Drought

Nitkamon Iamprasertkun, Biosciences - Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, 2-3pm

Drought affects plant physiology, but responses vary among ecotypes. This study examined 53 natural Arabidopsis ecotypes from various geographical regions under well-watered and drought conditions. Growth rate was measured by projected rosette area, stomatal closure by rosette temperature, and photosynthetic efficiency by chlorophyll fluorescence. All ecotypes showed a general drought response: reduced growth, higher stomatal closure (high temperature), and decreased photosynthetic efficiency. However, the timing of these changes varied, with more drought-tolerant ecotypes responding later. Some ecotypes showed possible trade-offs, such as greater stomatal closure under drought in those with high stomatal conductance in well-watered conditions. Reduced growth while maintaining photosynthetic efficiency also suggested a trade-off between growth and photosynthesis. These findings underscore the diverse responses to drought, providing valuable insights into plant adaptation strategies. 

42. Forward electron reconstruction for run4 and beyond 

Lucy Lewitt, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

Describes work on electron reconstruction that is required for upgrades to the ATLAS detector system as part of the transition from the Large Hadron Collider to the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. This work involved modifying existing software to make use of charged tracks in regions of the ATLAS detector with lower spatial resolution ElectroMagnetic Calorimeters than had been used previously.

43. The role of colour in global bird trade

Shriya Uday, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

This poster provides an overview of my research into patterns of colour in the global bird trade. I make use of global trade data and novel colour data extracted from pictures of museum specimens. It shows the creation of the three colour metrics I've developed for this/ colourfulness, colour uniqueness, and colour categories. Colourfulness is a measure of the range of colours present on a bird. Colour uniqueness measures how different a bird's colouration is from the global average. Colour categories divide the colour values of each standard pixel on the bird pictures into a specific colour. Using these, we can see there's a link between increasing colourfulness, colour uniqueness and likelihood of trade for a species. There is a lot of inter-family variation with colour being differently important for different families. Trade also seems to prefer birds with many colours rather than monochromatic ones. These metrics can be used for future research across spatial and temporal axes. 

44. Alfv´en Waves in Partially Ionized Plasma with Steady Flows

Nada Alshehri, Mathematics and Statistics, 2-3pm

Plasmas in space objects are not hot enough for full ionisation; thus, ions, electrons, and neutral particles coexist and interact via collisions. Alfvén waves are transversal perturbations in the magnetic field that propagate along field lines and carry large amounts of energy, contributing to plasma heating and acceleration. We consider a two-fluid (charges-neutrals) plasma in the particle collision frequency regime and investigate Alfven wave properties that can propagate in a steady-state plasma when ions and neutrals have different speeds (weak collisions) and directions. Our results show entropy modes become propagating, so flows generate new wave modes. Flows alter wave properties, inducing effects like mode conversion and two-stream instabilities. Wave behaviour is regulated by collisional frequency. Studying plasma waves in astrophysical and laboratory environments, as well as their stability, benefits from correct understanding and interpretation of our results.

45. How skin mechanics affects the activation of Meissner corpuscles in the skin on the hand and foot

James Hall, Psychology, 2-3pm

To fully understand touch, we have to understand how receptors in the skin are activated and how this information is then processed by the brain. In understanding how receptors are mechanically activated we find that the structure of the skin plays a major role in our ability to feel things correctly. In this research I am looking at the skin of the palm of the hand and the sole of the foot, known as glabrous skin, and how the distinctive ridged structure of this skin impacts the mechanical activation of receptors; specifically Meissner corpuscles, which are receptors found just below the surface of the skin. Previous evidence has disagreed on the skin mechanics which activate Meissner corpuscles. By using optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technique which can distinguish layers of the skin, we show the exact deformation patterns of the skin when pressure is applied to the surface.

46. Fats in peril: The impact of peroxidation on lipid links

Ben Allouis, Biosciences - Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2-3pm

Fat breakdown is a tightly regulated process spanning multiple compartments in a cell to generate energy. Certain fats called fatty acids (FA) are stored in organelles called lipid droplets. Some FAs pass through organelles called peroxisomes for partial breakdown before full breakdown. For FAs to move from lipid droplets to peroxisomes, it is important they make contact. Recent evidence shows organelle membrane changes control contact formation. To date, details of contact regulation remain poor, particularly during stress.

Here, we take a discovery approach to investigate how peroxisome-lipid droplet contact sites respond to peroxidative stress. By combining microscopy with modified HeLa cells and cutting-edge membrane labelling techniques, we observe changes in contact frequency, dynamics, and lipid droplet motility. Meanwhile, we attempt to identify novel lipid droplet contacts with other organelles. Our findings will help resolve the mechanisms of this understudied interaction. 

47. Powered by the Sun: 2D Perovskites for Solar Energy

Sophie Tucker, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

Two Dimensional Perovskites are an emerging class of semiconducting materials that demonstrate promise in developing new technologies for photovoltaics. They have potential in developing solar cells with improved sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency, an important factor in reducing costs and improving the global accessibility of solar energy. Compared to typical silicon-based solar panels, perovskites could offer easier fabrication routes and are composed of earth-abundant materials. My research aims to use layered (2D) perovskites to improve the operational stability of these materials by implementing new organic cations into the perovskite structure.

48. Deciphering C. difficile Phage-Host Interactions via Phage Engineering and Cryo-EM

Anirudh Jakhmola, Biosciences - Molecular Microbiology: Biochemistry to Disease, 2-3pm

Despite their potential as therapeutic agents, C. difficile phages remain understudied. Therapeutic development has been slow due to a lack of naturally occurring lytic phages and difficulties in laboratory preservation. This knowledge gap hinders our understanding of their host interaction mechanisms, and while previous research has provided insights into structure and function, further investigation is necessary.

Our project aims to understand the fundamental questions that have puzzled phage researchers for decades. We are utilising two well-characterised phages as templates for detailed mechanistic analysis. We will report on the function of various structural proteins in phage infection and attempt to answer questions such as how the tail contracts, how the tail length affects infection, how DNA moves from phage to the cell, and more. This research will advance phage therapy by informing the development of more effective phage-based treatments. 

49. Integration of perovskite solar cells with curved, and rigid carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites

Timothy Thornber, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

As prevalence of electric propulsion in vehicles and other mobile applications grows, the ability to self-charge is highly desirable. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent a route towards achieving this goal, combining lightweight with high power generation (high specific power). Typically, lightweight devices are fabricated onto flexible substrates and then adhered to a surface of interest, e.g. an aerofoil. However, these surfaces are often curved in two dimensions, complicating the lamination process. Instead, by using ultrasonic spray coating, devices can be fabricated directly onto the surface of interest, eliminating the unnecessary weight of the substrate, thus boosting specific power. These surfaces are often made from high specific strength materials such as carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP). CFRP presents additional challenges for fabrication, e.g. surface roughness and electrical conductivity. Here, we discuss our work on fabricating directly integrated PSCs on CFRP. 

50. Is the avian colourscape threatened by anthropogenic extinctions?

Robert MacDonald, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

The vast array of colours exhibited by animals is one of the most striking aspects of biodiversity. Animal colour phenotype plays a key role in fundamental processes such as predator-prey interactions, thermoregulation, and sociosexual signalling. Moreover, animal colouration is a trait which is highly valued by humans, with colourful species often chosen as national animals or representatives of conservation efforts. Despite this, we still do not have a clear understanding of how diversity in animal colouration phenotype is distributed geographically or phylogenetically, nor of how this diversity may be threatened by anthropogenic environmental change. Here, we develop a novel machine-learning-based pipeline to quantify holistic colouration phenotype from specimen images, and apply this pipeline to characterise colouration diversity in birds. We then examine whether this diversity is threatened disproportionately by anthropogenically induced extinctions. 

51. Determination of both wet and dry mass of water-soluble polymers adsorbed on planar silica using a quartz crystal microbalance

Ben Berisha, Chemistry, 2-3pm

It is well-established that polymer adsorption at a model planar interface can be studied using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Normally, this technique reports both the adsorbed mass of polymer chains plus any bound or entrained solvent molecules. Thus the total adsorbed amount significantly exceeds that reported by other methods such as optical reflectometry or adsorption isotherms obtained for colloidal substrates using a supernatant depletion assay. Herein we report a new approach whereby the dry adsorbed amount, Γdry, is obtained directly from the wet (solvated) adsorbed amount, Γwet, by switching from liquid flow to a flow of nitrogen gas after the initial conventional QCM analysis. The latter conditions lead to complete removal of the solvent, leaving only the desolvated adsorbed polymer chains.

52. ADHD and ASD are differentially affected by anxiety but this is due to different underlying causes

Vesko Varbanov, Psychology, 2-3pm

People with ADHD and autism often experience sensory difficulties, but the role of anxiety in these challenges is unclear. This study examined how ADHD and autism traits relate to visual processing in individuals without a formal diagnosis.

Results showed that both conditions are linked to sensory difficulties. However, anxiety—particularly panic and generalized anxiety—specifically influenced sensory processing in those with ADHD traits, but not autism traits. This suggests that while ADHD and autism share sensory challenges, they are not identical, as co-occurring conditions like anxiety affect them differently. These findings highlight the importance of considering comorbidities when studying sensory processing in neurodevelopmental conditions.

53. Chemical-Climate Interactions: Impacts on Marine Fish Communities in the North Sea

Harry Bond-Taylor, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

This project investigates the complex interactions between climate change and chemical pollution, focusing on their combined impacts on marine fish communities in the North Sea. Fish species differ in their capacity to accumulate contaminants such as heavy metals and dioxins, which can biomagnify through the food web, posing risks to top predators, including seabirds and marine mammals. Climate-driven shifts in fish distributions alter community composition, potentially increasing or reducing contaminant risk depending on species traits. These ecological changes could disrupt established contaminant pathways, creating new hotspots of risk. Using climate projections, future shifts in species distributions can be predicted, allowing for the assessment of how contaminant risk may evolve under different warming scenarios. The North Sea, with its extensive long-term biological, chemical, and environmental monitoring, provides an ideal case study for examining these complex interactions. 

54. Mapping Solar Photospheric Flow Fields

Mashael Aldhafeeri, Mathematics and Statistics, 2-3pm

Plasma flows in the solar photosphere can be studied by tracking granules as tracers of the velocity field. These flows have both horizontal and vertical components, influencing solar dynamics. The Balltracking algorithm (Potts et al. 2004) is a highly efficient method for extracting flow fields, offering accuracy and computational speed.

We apply Balltracking to derive velocity fields from solar observations, capturing plasma motion across selected regions. A parametric analysis refines the accuracy of the extracted flow maps. To identify vortical motions, we use the Lagrangian-Averaged Vorticity Deviation (LAVD) method (Haller et al. 2016), which detects coherent vortex structures.

Using SDO/HMI data, we analyze vortex evolution, studying variations in number and size over time. This research enhances our understanding of solar convection, vorticity, and their role in large-scale dynamical processes, contributing to insights into the solar cycle's impact on surface flows.

55. Exploring the Role of Bud23-Mediated Methylation in Ribosome Specialisation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Veronica Thuburn, Biosciences - Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2-3pm

Ribosomes are molecular machines found in all living organisms that translate messenger RNA into proteins. They are composed of both proteins and a structural form of RNA known as ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Historically, it was thought that ribosome composition was homogeneous within a species, and that ribosomes did not play a role in regulating protein synthesis. However, more recent studies suggest otherwise with evidence that heterogeneous components may contribute to protein synthesis selectivity, termed ribosome specialisation. My project focuses on one example of ribosome heterogeneity - Bud23-mediated methylation of guanine 1575 in 18S rRNA. By producing a catalytically inactive mutant of Bud23 in yeast, I aim to analyse differences in the proteins produced by modified and unmodified ribosomes, under both homeostatic and stress conditions. Here, I show how I selected candidate mutants and screened for catalytic mutant-specific phenotypes. 

56. Construction of Robust Model for Prediction of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Properties from Chemical Compositions

Khalifa Aminu, Chemistry, 2-3pm

A major challenge in the aviation industry is the significant carbon footprint produced by traditional jet fuels, which contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, the industry is actively seeking ways to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. One promising near-term alternative is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which closely resembles the composition of conventional jet fuel. However, the widespread adoption of SAF faces a key hurdle: the certification process. This process, required for SAF to meet strict ASTM standards, is both expensive and time-consuming. This research focuses on developing a practical and efficient method for predicting the properties of SAF. By providing producers with accurate predictions about their SAF's properties, this approach could streamline the certification process, saving both time and cost. 

57. Alternative splicing as a driver of phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stressors in fruit flies

Gracie Adams, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

Through a phenomenon termed ‘phenotypic plasticity’, individuals can change their phenotype within a generation in response to the environment. Phenotypic plasticity is beneficial as individuals do not need to wait for evolution to make adaptive changes to their genes over several generations in order to cope with environmental change. To predict how phenotypic plasticity will impact populations we need to understand how evolution acts on it and to do this, we need to know the molecular mechanisms involved in phenotypic plasticity. One such mechanism is alternative splicing, which produces different products from the same genes. The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) displays phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental stressors such as change in diet. We will use whole transcriptome analysis to assess differential alternative splicing occuring in response to environmental stressors in different genetic backgrounds, allowing us to link phenotypic plasticity to the genome.

58. Weight Stigma and Engagement in Physical Health Behaviour: Two Meta-Analyses

Ankita Sehrawat, Psychology , 2-3pm

Weight stigma—negative bias and discrimination based on body weight—has been associated with unhealthy physical health behaviors, including disordered eating, substance use, and reduced physical activity. A systematic literature search across nine databases identified 126 records that measured weight stigma and physical health behaviour , and 8 records that manipulated exposure to weight stigma and measured the subsequent effect on physical health behaviour. A multilevel meta-analysis was conducted and a small significant positive association was found between weight stigma and engagement in unhealthy behaviors (r = .1109, SE = .0123, 95% CI [.0869, .1350], p < .0001) suggesting higher stigma is associated with higher engagement in unhealthy behaviours and lower engagement in healthy behaviours. Meta-SEM indicated that stress partially mediated the relationship between weight stigma and engagement in physical health behaviour (ab* = 0.049, p < .0001).

59. In vivo investigation of spontaneous activity in the pre-hearing mammalian cochlear outer hair cells

Yanyun Zhao, Biosciences - Development, Regeneration and Neurophysiology, 2-3pm

During development, the mammalian cochlear hair cells elicit spontaneous electrical activity to induce neurotransmitter release onto the auditory nerve fibre, which is crucial to the refinement of both the cochlear sensory epithelium and the auditory pathway.

Developing outer hair cells (OHCs), which later play a key role in cochlear amplification, have been shown to have spontaneous activity in ex vivo preparation, but whether this activity is present in vivo and triggers activity in afferent neurons, remains unknown.

In this project, I use a novel technique combining surgical procedure and 2 photon Ca2+ imaging to record spontaneous Ca2+ activity in the cochlea in neonatal mice in vivo. I found that pre-hearing OHCs elicit spontaneous Ca2+ transients in the first postnatal week, before their maturation. In the future, this approach will allow me to uncover the mechanisms regulating spontaneous activity in OHCs and its influence on the functional development of the auditory system. 

60. The Biophysics of the Main Synthase During Gram-Positive Bacterial Cell Division Using AFM

Matthew Barker, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

This poster will show the various structures seen during the division cycle of Staphylococcus aureus using Atomic Force Microscopy, and how these are affected by environmental conditions. When MRSA divides in the presence of antibiotics it employs an alternate mode of division, without its characteristic septal rings created by PBP1. Instead, PBP2a is used to form the septum as a dense mesh. From this emerges the question - is this alternate division mode possible to be triggered not just genetically, but through environmental or chemical changes? It was found that in the mutants of PBP1* and PBP1ΔPASTA, a reduction of temperature from 37℃ to 25℃ drastically increased their viability. This poster shows the architecture of the PBP1ΔPASTA mutant when grown at 25℃ and how this changes throughout its division cycle. It is hoped that by understanding how these mutants behave in various conditions, a new weakness in the defence of bacteria may be identified. 

61. Hydrolytically Degradable Diamond Platelet Nanoparticles as Oil-in-Water Pickering Emulsifiers

Joshua Tyler, Chemistry, 2-3pm

Emulsions, which consist of oil droplets dispersed in water, are widely used in a range of industries, from agricultural chemicals to medical and personal care products. Traditional surfactant-stabilised emulsions often suffer from drawbacks such as lack of long term stability and biocompatibility. These issues can be mitigated by the use of particle stabilised emulsions, known as Pickering emulsions. Micron-sized platelet particles can be synthesised in aqueous media, with a degradable poly(L-lactide) core and inert poly(dimethylacrylamide) corona, via an approach combining reverse sequence polymerisation-induced self-assembly (rsPISA) and crystallisation-driven self-assembly (CDSA). In this work, these biocompatible and hydrolytically degradable platelet particles are examined as Pickering emulsifiers for oil-in-water emulsions. The high surface area and large size of these platelets should, in theory, enable the formation of relatively stable emulsions at low concentrations.

62. Making AI Transparent: Understanding Climate Impacts on Crop Growth

Thomas Hughes, Biosciences - Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, 2-3pm

The rate at which crops grow is dependent on many extrinsic factors, many of which are climate driven; e.g., precipitation, temperature, humidity, etc. Applying a data driven approach, as opposed to more traditional mechanistic models, allows us to explore the interplay between growth and climate, without being constrained to fixed input variables.

However, data driven or machine learning (ML) approaches, despite performing well, suffer from the concept of the black-box affect; i.e., the "reasoning" driving the decision making is difficult (impossible) for a human to interpret. This dilemma produces a challenge for researches whose goal is to produce pragmatic innovations, as end-users or stakeholders struggle to trust these models.

The solution is applying explainable AI (XAI) techniques, such as Integrated Gradient (IG). These allow us to produce more transparent interpretations of these models, essentially associating an importance value with each variable. 

63. The Theta Correspndence, Dth Shintani Lifts, and L-Values

Mark Chambers, Mathematics and Statistics, 2-3pm

Wiles’ monumental proof of Fermats last theorem established the equivalence between elliptic curves and modular forms. The Langlands Programme, which is a generalisation of this called the “grand unifying theory of maths”, predicts maps between certain modular forms. One instance is the Theta correspondence - the study of which is closely linked to so-called L-values, which appear in another important problem, the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture. 

64.  Identification of new pbp-independent genetic pathways leading to penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Tonisha Smith, Biosciences - Molecular Microbiology: Biochemistry to Disease, 2-3pm

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. While β-lactam antibiotics are the primary treatment, rising antibiotic resistance threatens their effectiveness. Resistance is commonly linked to alterations in penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), but other genetic factors remain underexplored. To identify novel genetic contributors to penicillin resistance, we generated laboratory S. pneumoniae strains capable of surviving low penicillin concentrations. Whole-genome sequencing revealed mutations in three genes. The most common gene affected, pde1, was fully described in 2023. Two additional genes were identified: one involved in cell wall regulation and another in lipoteichoic acid synthesis. These findings highlight previously unrecognized early-stage resistance mechanisms that operate independently of PBPs and could inform new intervention strategies to counteract early resistance development. 

65. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Outpatients with Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Effectiveness

Heather Duggan, Psychology, 2-3pm

Anorexia nervosa is commonly treated using outpatient cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), but its effectiveness needs to be established. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed outpatient CBT’s effectiveness for anorexia nervosa and explored potential moderators. Searches identified 30 medium-high quality studies reporting pre-to-post-treatment outcomes for at least one primary measure (weight; eating disorder symptoms). Meta-analyses (28 studies) found medium-large post-treatment effect sizes for weight (g = 0.88; 95% CI 0.71 - 1.06) and eating disorder symptoms (g = -0.70; 95% CI -0.87 - -0.53), with change starting early and increasing to follow-up. Body Mass Index moderated weight gain. Age, illness duration, and manual use moderated eating-disorder symptom change. Overall, results were optimistic for patients with anorexia nervosa treated with outpatient CBT. Clinicians can expect good outcomes using CBT regardless of patients’ starting weight, age, or illness duration.

66. Photochemistry, electron transfer and catalysis mapped by a combination of ultrafast laser and X-ray spectroscopies

Isobel Meikle, Chemistry, 2-3pm

The vast consumption of energy, from predominantly non-renewable sources, heavily contributes to one of the biggest challenges of this century: climate change. Renewable energy is a well-recognised alternative. Transition metal complexes can access notably long lived excited states. Enabling promising applications in dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC), to harness energy. Copper(I) complexes have been studied since the late 1970s, due to their interesting electron dynamics and structural distortions. With the primary focus on Copper(I) complexes, to utilise a cost effective, abundant metal. This research utilises ultra-fast spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemical techniques, located at X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). These XFELs give a unique opportunity to directly address the questions of electronic, spin and structural change. The analysis will allow for a deeper understanding of transition metal complexes, to extend our knowledge on how to improve DSSC and PDT.

67. Infectious Inoculants; Microbiome engineering for better soil

Solomon Garland, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

Phosphorous is an essential nutrient for plants, but often scarce enough in soil that crop growth will be limited by its unavailability. Bacteria can release phosphorous from organic matter in soil using enzymes, but usually only do so for their own benefit. I am trying to develop a plasmid, which is a set of genes that spread through bacteria independently of their original host's genes, that cause bacteria to increase their production of phosphate-releasing enzymes. The challenge is to develop a plasmid that incurs a low enough cost to its host to spread through a crop root microbiome, and increases phosphate levels enough to promote plant growth. This will allow for better crop yields with less phosphorous fertiliser. 

68. Single-photon switch for quantum technologies

Mateusz Duda, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

Light is ideal for transferring information over large distances due to its high speed, and is widely used to transfer data in current technology. In emerging quantum technologies, light is also a leading candidate for transferring quantum information, which can be stored in individual photons. In order to construct a quantum network, we therefore need a device that allows us to control the flow of light at the level of single photons, i.e., a single-photon switch. In this work, we present a theoretical proposal for a switch that uses light-matter interactions to control the direction of photon propagation. We quantify the performance of the switch by calculating its efficiency, which is the probability that an input photon will be sent in the desired direction, and its fidelity, which tells us how well the switch preserves the photon state. Our results show that the switch can operate with high efficiency and fidelity, making it a promising device for future quantum technologies. 

69. Monitoring European eel populations using eDNA

Ghadah Fhaid, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

Rivers, despite being only 2.5% of the world's water, are essential for the environment, containing 9.5% of species. The European eel demonstrates catadromous behaviour and migrates into rivers, lakes, and coastal environments to feed and grow before returning to the Sargasso Sea to reproduce. However, weirs and dams threaten 30% of freshwater fish species, including the European eel, by obstructing migration. This study will assess the impact of weirs and dams on the European eel, focusing on Rivers in South Yorkshire using environmental DNA, the genetic material released by an organism in its environment without the acquisition of living individuals, and DNA metabarcoding will assess river biodiversity. Thus, it aids the conservation of this endangered species across diverse habitats by identifying management priorities such as barrier management, potentially leading to implementing measures to aid eel passage and habitat preservation.

70. Enabling independent electrical control of two quantum emitters via introducing mid-cavity structural division in photonic crystal microcavities

Monika Singh, Physics and Astronomy, 2-3pm

This study investigates the execution of independent electrical control over two quantum dot emitters within the single photonic crystal microcavities. We accomplish spatial separation of two quantum dots by splitting the cavity by inducing ion beam implantation, which allows for independent tuning without cross-interference. Using photoluminescence and transmission spectroscopy, we investigate the isolated coupling of quantum dots to cavity mode, exhibiting improved light-matter interaction . This unique approach provides a scalable solution for multi-emitter collective coupling in quantum photonic systems, opening the door to deterministic photon emitters with independent control for quantum information processing.

71. Investigating the Capacity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Reducing Soil Derived Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Agricultural Soils: A Field Trial

Jacob Wylie, Biosciences - Molecular Microbiology: Biochemistry to Disease, 2-3pm

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AM fungi) colonise the roots of around 80 % of terrestrial plant species engaging in a carbon for nutrient exchange between fungi and plant. Nitrogen cycling microbial communities are responsible for soil derived nitrous oxide emissions, and AM fungi have previously been shown to drive changes in these communities, decreasing emissions of this potent greenhouse gas. Agricultural soils are UK’s largest source of nitrous oxide, making them a a key target for net zero, requiring novel approaches to tackle the problem. Genetically modified barley that show either increased or decreased AM fungal colonisation relative to their wild type progenitor were used to establish a field trial to investigate whether Am fungi were capable of reducing nitrous oxide emissions in cropped, fertilised soil systems.

72. Torsion Growth and Lorentzian Automorphic Forms

Daniel Bassett, Mathematics and Statistics, 2-3pm

Automorphic forms are mysterious objects that play a central role in modern number theory research. One way of accessing them is through calculating the cohomology of certain manifolds. In particular, if these cohomology groups have high rank but low torsion, this is a sign of many automorphic forms associated to these manifolds; conversely low rank but high torsion shows a lack of automorphic forms. We present our results from calculations of torsion cohomology associated to certain hyperbolic 4-manifolds and 5-manifolds, which arise in general relativity and as such are of independent interest in physics. 

73. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Relationships Between Different Pro-Environmental Behaviours

Anda-Bianca Ciocirlan, Psychology, 2-3pm

The aim of the current study was to systematically review the literature for quantitative evidence that explores the relationship between different pro-environmental behaviours. We searched three databases, Scopus, PsycInfo, and GreenFILE, conducted forward and backward citation searches, and contacted experts. We found 26 studies suitable for inclusion, which provided a total of 1,888 correlations between different sustainable behaviours. We examined the correlations both within specific domains and between broader domains. Random-effects meta-analysis found a small overall effect size (r = 0.16, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = [0.08, 0.24]). Associations were observed both between behaviours from distinct domains of pro-environmental behaviour (e.g., energy conservation and water conservation), and within the same domain (e.g., energy conservation behaviours such as turning off lights and using efficient appliances). 

74. Unravelling the structure of the stomatal cell wall

Nathanael Tan, Biosciences - Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, 2-3pm

Stomata are microscopic pores on the surface of leaves which act as the gatekeepers to the leaf, regulating its ability to take in carbon dioxide intake at the expense of losing water. These pores are flanked by a pair of guard cells, which open and close the stomata by exchanging water to inflate or deflate. In doing so, these guard cells sustain considerable stress, analogous to being pushed from the inside with 50 atmospheres of pressure. The cell wall which wraps around these cells must therefore be extremely strong and flexible to withstand these pressures while opening and closing reversibly. I have been studying the structure of these walls at the cell scale and nanoscale, hoping to understand exactly how the various polymers making up the cell wall come together to determine its ability to achieve this remarkable strength and flexibility. 

76. Smelly relatives: olfactory cues for kin recognition in long-tailed tits?

Joseph Baxter, Biosciences - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2-3pm

Long-tailed tits are social birds with a cooperative breeding system, where individuals help raise offspring that are not their own. This behaviour, known as "helping", typically occurs among relatives, which is beneficial as then helpers and helpees share many genes. While it is clear that these birds can distinguish between relatives and non-relatives, the exact mechanisms they use remain uncertain. My research explores whether long-tailed tits use their sense of smell to recognize kin. Specifically, I examine the composition of preen oil, a substance that in other species acts like a "perfume," conveying information about health and identity. I aim to determine whether preen oil contains information about genetic relatedness in long-tailed tits. My findings reveal that preen oil composition differs between adults and chicks, as well as between breeding and non-breeding seasons. However, I do not find evidence that preen oil is more similar among family members.