Senior Lecturer
Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA
https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/matthewtinsley
Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Ecology studying host-parasite systems.
I am currently recruiting PhD studentship candidates. I have a project on the effects of parasite coinfection on virulence advertised through the NERC IAPETUS2 DTP See here: https://www.iapetus2.ac.uk/studentships/how-does-co-infection-influence-parasite-virulence/. I will also support candidates to apply through other funding streams such as Commonwealth Scholarships, Carnegie Trust etc.
Biography:
PhD - University of Cambridge (2003)
BA - University of Cambridge (1999)
Research Activities
My research focuses predominantly on host-parasite evolutionary ecology, it spans controlled laboratory systems, through to natural field ecology. Most of my work studies insects, but I also investigate other invertebrates , as well as amphibians. The majority of the work in our lab group currently centres on the immunological and evolutionary interactions between fungal pathogens and insect hosts. The fungal pathogens we focus on are used as biopesticides in environmentally sustainable crop protection, whilst most of our insect work is now focussed on agricultural pests.
Key topics:
Immune system evolution, Drosophila, entomopathogenic fungi, genetic variation in pathogen defence, host-parasite coevolution, senescence, bumblebee ecology, insect sex ratios, ladybirds, invasive species, ecological impacts of ionizing radiation, sustainable crop pest control with biopesticides.
You can find out more about our biopesticide work here: https://enhancingdiversity.wixsite.com/endorse.
And our horticultural whitefly work here: https://enhancingdiversity.wixsite.com/endorse/tomato
Lab members:
Jess Burrows is a PhD student studying the effects of ionizing radiation on immune defence in bumblebees. Co-supervised by Nick Beresford (CEH) and David Copplestone.
Rosie Mangan is a post-doc funded by BBSRC investigating novel methods of pest control using entomopathogenic fungi to combat insecticide resistance evolution.
Danielle Mackenzie: after doing a PhD in the lab some time ago Danielle has now returned to work as a BBSRC-funded post-doc working on the genetic basis of resistance evolution in crop pests to fungal bio-insecticides and the impacts of biopesticides on beneficial insects.
Mia Graham worked as a technician funded by our BBSRC project "Assessing the market potential of a novel resistance management framework for fungal biopesticides in UK glasshouse horticulture" during 2019-2020 and then successfully won a NERC PhD studentship in 2020 to continue related whitefly-biopesticide work. Co-supervised by Dave George (Newcastle), Luc Bussiere and Stu Auld.
Rose McKeon was an undergraduate at Stirling, during which time she worked with our group in a number of roles supporting research work on biopesticide resistance and farmer-acceptance of biopesticide products. She then won a NERC PhD studentship in 2020 to investigate the evolution of resistance to biopesticides in insect pests. Co-supervised by Luc Bussiere and by Mike Ritchie & Carolin Kosiol (St Andrews).
Jim Neate did a masters at Harper Adams before joining us at a technician to work on our BBSRC ENDORSE project where he maintains our insect cultures and conducts work on the potential impacts of biopesticides on beneficial insects.
Surya Senthilkumar is a visiting postdoctoral fellow funded by DAIC in India. Her work focusses on climate change impacts of biopesticide efficacy and onward transmission.
Hadyn Murray has recently joined our team after a masters in Glasgow, he works as a technician supporting our work on the determinants of biopesticide virulence.
Arianna Chiti completed a BSc degree at Stirling University followed by an MRes at Swansea; she now works as a technician in support of our work mapping the genetic basis of fungal biopesticide resistance.
Alumni:
Marcelo Muller joined our lab group from December 2020 till July 2021 on a BEPE FAPESP postdoctoral fellowship on secondment from Brazil. His work investigated the linkages between feeding behaviour and biopesticide resistance in Helicoverpa armigera.
Ester Ferrari worked with us a technician on our BBSRC-funded ENDORSE project from 2019-2021. She has now moved to a permanent post in Ireland at TEAGASC - The Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Horticultural Development Unit.
Kat Raines finished her PhD in 2018 studying the impact of radiological contamination on bumblebees, work that is centred on the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. Kat moved on to work as a NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow based at Stirling and then to continue related work with Radioactive Waste Management.
Katie Murray finished her PhD in 2018. She studied the ecology of parasitism in the invasive harlequin ladybird. She is now a Scottish Government statistician.
Craig Anderson was a post-doc investigating the impact of chronic radiation exposure in the Chernobyl exclusion zone on the evolution of Drosophila melanogaster. He is now a research fellow at the MRC Human Gentics Unit, University of Edinburgh.
Marco Kubiak finished his MPhil thesis in 2017 studying immune senescence in Drosophila. In 2020 he successfully won a PhD studentship to study at Cardiff University
Jess Scriven finished her PhD in 2016 investigating the comparative ecology of closely related cryptic bumblebee species, she is now a statistician for the Scottish Government.
Sumayia Bashir finished her PhD in 2014. She used Drosophila to study interactions between immune defence, metabolism and mitochondrial function.
Danielle Mackenzie finished her PhD in 2014 investigating the mechanisms of immune senescence in Drosophila.
Penelope Whitehorn finished her PhD in 2011, which focused on the impact of inbreeding on bumblebees and which I co-supervised. Penelope spent some time as a post doc fellow at Stirling investigating the negative effects of insecticides on non-target insects and is now carrying on this work at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.
Andy Dobson is a post-doc who was worked alongside my group for a number of years as an independent research fellow. Amongst other topics, he researches the ecology of tick populations as vectors for Lyme disease and other infections of humans and wildlife; he is now based at Edinburgh University.
Assessing the market potential of a novel resistance management framework for fungal biopesticides in the UK glasshouse horticulture sector
PI: Dr Matthew Tinsley
Funded by: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
–
TRansfer-Exposure-Effects
PI: Professor David Copplestone
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council
–
The Immune System and Senescence: Why do we age?
PI: Dr Matthew Tinsley
Funded by: Royal Society
–
Reproductive Ecology of Arctic Insects
PI: Dr Matthew Tinsley
Funded by: The Carnegie Trust
–
Article
Virus Prevalence and Genetic Diversity Across a Wild Bumblebee Community
Pascall DJ, Tinsley MC, Clark BL, Obbard DJ & Wilfert L (2021) Virus Prevalence and Genetic Diversity Across a Wild Bumblebee Community. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, Art. No.: 650747. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.650747
Article
Chernobyl-level radiation exposure damages bumblebee reproduction: a laboratory experiment
Raines KE, Whitehorn PR, Copplestone D & Tinsley MC (2020) Chernobyl-level radiation exposure damages bumblebee reproduction: a laboratory experiment. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287 (1937), Art. No.: 20201638. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1638
Article
Towards solving a scientific controversy - The effects of ionising radiation on the environment
Beresford NA, Horemans N, Copplestone D, Raines KE, Orizaola G, Wood MD, Laanen P, Whitehead HC, Burrows JE, Tinsley MC, Smith JT, Bonzom J, Gagnaire B, Adam-Guillermin C & Gashchak S (2020) Towards solving a scientific controversy - The effects of ionising radiation on the environment. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 211, Art. No.: 106033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106033
Article
Sex-specific routes to immune senescence in Drosophila melanogaster
Kubiak M & Tinsley MC (2017) Sex-specific routes to immune senescence in Drosophila melanogaster. Scientific Reports, 7, Art. No.: 10417. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11021-6
Article
Tracing ancient evolutionary divergence in parasites
Tinsley RC & Tinsley MC (2016) Tracing ancient evolutionary divergence in parasites. Parasitology, 143 (14), pp. 1902-1916. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182016001347
Article
Sex as a strategy against rapidly evolving parasites
Auld SKJR, Tinkler SK & Tinsley MC (2016) Sex as a strategy against rapidly evolving parasites [Sex as a weapon against parasitism]. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283 (1845), Art. No.: 20162226. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2226
Article
Scriven JJ, Whitehorn PR, Goulson D & Tinsley MC (2016) Bergmann’s Body Size Rule Operates in Facultatively Endothermic Insects: Evidence from a Complex of Cryptic Bumblebee Species. PLoS ONE, 11 (10), Art. No.: e0163307. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163307
Article
The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: global perspectives on invasion history and ecology
Murray KM, Brown PMJ, Adriaens T, Berkvens N, Borges I, Clusella-Trullas S, Comont RF, De Clercq P, Eschen R, Estoup A, Evans EW, Facon B, Gardiner MM, Roy HE & Tinsley MC (2016) The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: global perspectives on invasion history and ecology. Biological Invasions, 18 (4), pp. 977-1044. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1077-6
Article
Niche partitioning in a sympatric cryptic species complex
Scriven JJ, Whitehorn PR, Goulson D & Tinsley MC (2016) Niche partitioning in a sympatric cryptic species complex. Ecology and Evolution, 6 (5), pp. 1328-1339. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1965
Article
Extinction of an introduced warm-climate alien species, Xenopus laevis, by extreme weather events
Tinsley RC, Stott LC, Viney M, Mabel B & Tinsley MC (2015) Extinction of an introduced warm-climate alien species, Xenopus laevis, by extreme weather events. Biological Invasions, 17 (11), pp. 3183-3195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-015-0944-x
Commentary
Dobson A, Auld S & Tinsley MC (2015) Insufficient evidence of infection-induced phototactic behaviour in Spodoptera exigua: a comment on van Houte et al. (2014). Commentary on: van Houte S, van Oers MM, Han Y, Vlak JM, Ros VID. 2014 Baculovirus infection triggers a positive phototactic response in caterpillars to induce ‘treetop’ disease. Biol. Lett. 10, 20140680. (doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0680). Biology Letters, 11, Art. No.: 20150132. http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/11/10/20150132; https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0132
Article
Sex differences in the effects of juvenile and adult diet on age-dependent reproductive effort
Houslay T, Hunt J, Tinsley MC & Bussiere L (2015) Sex differences in the effects of juvenile and adult diet on age-dependent reproductive effort. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 28 (5), pp. 1067-1079. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12630
Article
Tinsley RC, Coxhead PG, Stott LC, Tinsley MC, Piccinni MZ & Guille MJ (2015) Chytrid fungus infections in laboratory and introduced Xenopus laevis populations: assessing the risks for U.K. native amphibians. Biological Conservation, 184, pp. 380-388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.01.034
Article
Revealing the hidden niches of cryptic bumblebees in Great Britain: implications for conservation
Scriven JJ, Woodall L, Tinsley MC, Knight ME, Williams PH, Carolan J, Brown MJF & Goulson D (2015) Revealing the hidden niches of cryptic bumblebees in Great Britain: implications for conservation. Biological Conservation, 182, pp. 126-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.027
Article
The evolutionary ecology of complex lifecycle parasites: linking phenomena with mechanisms
Auld S & Tinsley MC (2015) The evolutionary ecology of complex lifecycle parasites: linking phenomena with mechanisms. Heredity, 114 (2), pp. 125-132. https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2014.84
Article
Ariani C, Juneja P, Smith S, Tinsley MC & Jiggins FM (2015) Vector competence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for filarial nematodes is affected by age and nutrient limitation. Experimental Gerontology, 61, pp. 47-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2014.11.001
Article
Bashir-Tanoli S & Tinsley MC (2014) Immune response costs are associated with changes in resource acquisition and not resource reallocation. Functional Ecology, 28 (4), pp. 1011-1019. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12236
Article
Genetic diversity and parasite prevalence in two species of bumblebee
Whitehorn PR, Tinsley MC, Brown MJF, Darvill B & Goulson D (2014) Genetic diversity and parasite prevalence in two species of bumblebee. Journal of Insect Conservation, 18 (4), pp. 667-673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9673-1
Article
Whitehorn PR, Tinsley MC, Brown MJF & Goulson D (2013) Investigating the impact of deploying commercial Bombus terrestris for crop pollination on pathogen dynamics in wild bumble bees. Journal of Apicultural Research, 52 (3), pp. 149-157. https://doi.org/10.3896/IBRA.1.52.3.06
Article
Social learning drives handedness in nectar-robbing bumblebees
Goulson D, Park K, Tinsley MC, Bussiere L & Vallejo-Marin M (2013) Social learning drives handedness in nectar-robbing bumblebees. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 67 (7), pp. 1141-1150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-013-1539-0
Commentary
Bussiere L, Tinsley MC & Laugen A (2013) Female preferences for facial masculinity are probably not adaptations for securing good immunocompetence genes. Commentary on: Scott IML, Clark AP, Boothroyd LG, Penton-Voak IS. 2012. Do men’s faces really signal heritable immunocompetence? Behav Ecol. 24:579–589.. Behavioral Ecology, 24 (3), pp. 593-594. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ars097
Article
Tinsley RC, Stott LC, York JE, Everard ALE, Chapple SJ, Jackson J, Viney M & Tinsley MC (2012) Acquired immunity protects against helminth infection in a natural host population: Long-term field and laboratory evidence. International Journal for Parasitology, 42 (10), pp. 931-938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.07.006
Article
Senescence of the cellular immune response in Drosophila melanogaster
Mackenzie DK, Bussiere L & Tinsley MC (2011) Senescence of the cellular immune response in Drosophila melanogaster. Experimental Gerontology, 46 (11), pp. 853-859. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/05315565; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2011.07.004
Article
Tinsley RC, York JE, Everard ALE, Stott LC, Chapple SJ & Tinsley MC (2011) Environmental constraints influencing survival of an African parasite in a north temperate habitat: effects of temperature on egg development. Parasitology, 138 (8), pp. 1029-1038. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182011000461
Article
Tinsley RC, York JE, Stott LC, Everard ALE, Chapple SJ & Tinsley MC (2011) Environmental constraints influencing survival of an African parasite in a north temperate habitat: effects of temperature on development within the host. Parasitology, 138 (8), pp. 1039-1052. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182011000424
Article
Genetic diversity, parasite prevalence and immunity in wild bumblebees
Whitehorn PR, Tinsley MC, Brown MJF, Darvill B & Goulson D (2011) Genetic diversity, parasite prevalence and immunity in wild bumblebees. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 278 (1709), pp. 1195-1202. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1550
Article
Kin recognition and inbreeding reluctance in bumblebees
Whitehorn PR, Tinsley MC & Goulson D (2009) Kin recognition and inbreeding reluctance in bumblebees [Reconnaissance de la parentèle et mécanismes pour éviter la consanguinité chez les bourdons; Verwandtschaftserkennung und Inzuchtvermeidung bei Hummeln]. Apidologie, 40 (6), pp. 627-633. https://doi.org/10.1051/apido/2009050
Article
Goulson D, McGuire K, Munro EE, Adamson S, Colliar L, Park K, Tinsley MC & Gilburn A (2009) Functional significance of the dark central floret of Daucus carota (Apiaceae) L.; is it an insect mimic?. Plant Species Biology, 24 (2), pp. 77-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-1984.2009.00240.x
Article
Impacts of inbreeding on bumblebee colony fitness under field conditions
Whitehorn PR, Tinsley MC, Brown MJF, Darvill B & Goulson D (2009) Impacts of inbreeding on bumblebee colony fitness under field conditions. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 9 (1), p. 152. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/152; https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-9-152
Article
Weinert LA, Tinsley MC, Temperley M & Jiggins FM (2007) Are we underestimating the diversity and incidence of insect bacterial symbionts? A case study in ladybird beetles. Biology Letters, 3 (6), pp. 678-681. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2007.0373
Article
Small steps or giant leaps for male-killers? Phylogenetic constraints to male-killer host shifts
Tinsley MC & Majerus MEN (2007) Small steps or giant leaps for male-killers? Phylogenetic constraints to male-killer host shifts. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 7 (1), p. 238. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/7/238; https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-7-238
Article
Goulson D, Cruise JL, Sparrow KR, Harris AJ, Park K, Tinsley MC & Gilburn A (2007) Choosing rewarding flowers; perceptual limitations and innate preferences influence decision making in bumblebees and honeybees. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 61 (10), pp. 1523-1529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0384-4
Article
Webberley M, Tinsley MC, Sloggett J, Majerus MEN & Hurst G (2006) Spatial variation in the incidence of a sexually transmitted parasite of the ladybird beetle Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). European Journal of Entomology, 103 (4), pp. 793-797. https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2006.108
Article
Tinsley MC & Majerus MEN (2006) A new male-killing parasitism: Spiroplasma bacteria infect the ladybird beetle Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Parasitology, 132 (6), pp. 757-765. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182005009789
Article
Genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster pathogen susceptibility
Tinsley MC, Blanford S & Jiggins FM (2006) Genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster pathogen susceptibility. Parasitology, 132 (6), pp. 767-773. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182006009929
Article
Jiggins FM & Tinsley MC (2005) An ancient mitochondrial polymorphism in Adalia bipunctata linked to a sex-ratio-distorting bacterium. Genetics, 171 (3), pp. 1115-1124. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.105.046342
Article
Pollen deposition in moss polsters from Northeast Greenland
Linskens HF & Tinsley MC (2002) Pollen deposition in moss polsters from Northeast Greenland [Linskens, H. F. and Tinsley, M.C.]. Circumpolar Journal, 17, pp. 17-24.
Article
Tinsley MC & Reilly S (2002) Reproductive ecology of the saltmarsh-dwelling marine ectoparasite Paragnathia formica (Crustacea : Isopoda). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 82 (1), pp. 79-84. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315402005192
Dr Matthew Tinsley is Principal Supervisor for:
Doctor of Philosophy Ecology
2018–22
Doctor of Philosophy Biology
2020–24
PhD/MPhil by Research
2014–18
Investigating the Pathways of Pathogen Defence Senescence in Drosophila melanogaster
Doctor of Philosophy Biology
2008–14
Ageing and the cellular immune response in adult Drosophila melanogaster
Doctor of Philosophy Biology
2020–24
