Alice Cunnington
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science
Email: A.Cunnington@2020.ljmu.ac.uk
I am a PhD student working on the use of natural samplers for environmental DNA monitoring under the supervision of Prof Stefano Mariani, Dr. Kirstie Scott and Dr. Craig Wilding. I will be investigating and comparing different natural sentinels by using eDNA and metabarcoding techniques to construct vertebrate and diatom assemblages along selected areas of the UK coastline. This research has the potential to be extremely important as it could offer accurate and affordable biomonitoring techniques whilst being relatively non invasive.
Degrees
2016, Queen Mary Univesity of London, United Kingdom, MSc
2015, University of Salford, United Kingdom, BSc (Hons)
Journal article
Cunnington AV, Neave EF, Shum P, Collins R, Mariani S. 2024. Temporal and Spatial eDNA Analysis of Fish Assemblagesin Postindustrial, Urban Coastal Habitats Environmental DNA, 6 :1-13 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Cunnington AV, Shum P, Wilding CS, Mariani S. 2024. Exploring intertidal sea anemones Actinia equina as natural eDNA samplers for coastal biodiversity assessment Marine Ecology Progress Series, 743 :159-165 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Harper LR, Neave EF, Sellers GS, Cunnington AV, Arias MB, Craggs J, MacDonald B, Riesgo A, Mariani S. 2023. Optimized DNA isolation from marine sponges for natural sampler DNA metabarcoding Environmental DNA, 5 :438-461 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
preprint
Harper L, Neave E, Sellers G, Cunnington A, Arias MB, Craggs J, MacDonald B, Riesgo A, Mariani S. 2022. Optimised DNA isolation from marine sponges for natural sampler DNA (nsDNA) metabarcoding bioRxiv DOI Publisher Url
Thesis/Dissertation
Cunnington A. Enhancing environmental monitoring in anthropogenically modified coastal habitats using eDNA and nsDNA metabarcoding Mariani S, Wilding C, Scott K.