Dr Alan Marron
Light Microscopy Specialist
School of Biological and Medical Sciences
Role
I am responsible for Light Microscopy at the Oxford Brookes Centre for BioImaging, helping to look after the confocal, stereo and widefield microscopes, and the experiments that are done on them. My role is to organize maintenance and upgrades to the microscope equipment, train new users and help internal and external researchers with their microscopy needs.
Previously I have worked on the development and cell biology of bryophytes, primarily the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. I also studied choanoflagellates, a group of single-celled and colonial protists that are closely related to the multicellular animals. Here I looked at their comparative genomics, flagella behaviour and silicon biomineralization. Throughout my research I have seen some amazing and brilliant things down a microscope, from plant tissues reprogramming into new identities to individual cells constructing a glass skeleton for themselves, and I hope to see many more wonders at the Centre for BioImaging!
Teaching and supervision
Help supervise Final Year Honours Projects involving light microscopy
Confocal microscope practical demonstrations for the Biotechnology course