Natural Sciences - University of Chester

Natural Sciences - University of Chester 🧬Biological, Animal, Physical & Engineering science degrees

🔬Innovative teaching & cutting edge research

🔭Gateway to your future career

Join Dr Candice Owen for the next ! 🐝Did you know that there are wasps that enter water? And even crazier, did you know ...
02/06/2026

Join Dr Candice Owen for the next ! 🐝

Did you know that there are wasps that enter water? And even crazier, did you know that there are wasps that live on rocky shores and attack the eggs of spiders in these habitats? Did you even know that you get spiders that live on rocky shores? If your answer is no to any of these questions, then please join us as Candice takes us on a trip to South Africa to explore the ecophysiology of the wingless wasp (Ecthrodesis lamorali), which is a tiny parasitoid on the eggs of the formidable shore spider.

📆Tuesday 9th June
⏰7pm
📍Garrett Bar in Storyhouse

Thinking about studying with us? Read about Hayden’s experiences as a Forensic Biology student! 👨🏻‍🎓Student life can oft...
01/06/2026

Thinking about studying with us? Read about Hayden’s experiences as a Forensic Biology student! 👨🏻‍🎓

Student life can often be seen from many perspectives whether it is the pressures of exams and deadlines or the prospects of freedom to entirely make your own decisions. This blog highlights some of my favourite aspects of being a student of the University of Chester but also highlighting some of the challenges of being a student in general. It will also detail how I have co-ordinated around these challenges with help from the University of Chester and in general, sharing my experience of being a student.

Read the blog here: https://www.chester.ac.uk/about/news/articles/my-experience-at-chester-the-best-years-of-my-academic-journey/

- Hayden for the Student Takeover

Hayden has been fund raising! Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the UK with re...
29/05/2026

Hayden has been fund raising!

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the UK with research illustrating the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease expected to double by 2040 to 1.7 million people. It is a really current and worrying issue that needs more attention to it.

Over the bank holiday weekend, me and a number of individuals set out to raise money for Alzheimer’s in the centre of Chester through activities such as donations for busking people’s favourite songs and giving people the opportunity to donate and spin a wheel to win a prize.

This resulted in us being able to donate a lot of money towards a very important issue that is only increasing in risk.

More information about Alzheimer’s disease can be found here: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/need-to-know-more/facts-stats/10-facts-about-dementia/

- Hayden for the Student Takeover

Let’s learn about DNA profiling! 📚DNA profiling is a key aspect of Forensic science and allows Investigators to be able ...
26/05/2026

Let’s learn about DNA profiling! 📚

DNA profiling is a key aspect of Forensic science and allows Investigators to be able to place individuals at crime scenes

It operates on the basis of being able to individualise people at the genetic level. It examines the differences between people and their DNA by observing the genome. The genome is all the genes and alleles an individual has and DNA profiling looks to identify unique patterns in the genome to establish one individual from another.

DNA can be found in many different variations at a crime scene such as blood on clothing or saliva on a drinks can and once profiled it can be compared with DNA taken from those suspected to be at the scene of the crime such as suspects or victims.

DNA profiling is a powerful tool in forensics and has been massively improved with increased sensitivity over passing years making it highly effective for investigators

- Hayden for the Student Takeover

Join us for the next research seminar! 📆Wednesday 27th May ⏰10:00 - 11:00 📍Teams We are very pleased to have Josh Joseph...
26/05/2026

Join us for the next research seminar!

📆Wednesday 27th May
⏰10:00 - 11:00
📍Teams

We are very pleased to have Josh Joseph present his PhD research! Josh is an MSc Biotechnology alumni, now undertaking his PhD research at Massey University, New Zealand and is an AgResearch Fellow.

His research focuses on the study of lactate metabolism and its links to methane emissions with the aim of promoting sustainable ruminant production 🐄

Join the seminar here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/31743777037318?p=qhQUZ5s0IuUiUJj2x9

Happy World Bee Day! 🐝Beyond just making honey, bees are essential for maintaining our ecosystems and pollinating a thir...
20/05/2026

Happy World Bee Day! 🐝

Beyond just making honey, bees are essential for maintaining our ecosystems and pollinating a third of the food we eat every day. 🍋🍅

Did you know the Northwest is home to one of the rarest pollinators? The Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola). You can spot them by their bright red bottom, usually pollinating a bilberry plant. 🫐🌱

- Adam for the Student Takeover

Members of the Gruber Lab, PI Jodie Gruber, and researchers Michal Zatrak and Lucy Morison, the trio otherwise known as ...
19/05/2026

Members of the Gruber Lab, PI Jodie Gruber, and researchers Michal Zatrak and Lucy Morison, the trio otherwise known as ‘Team Toad’, presented an overview of their exciting research at the CWRG meeting yesterday.

As part of a Natural England Species Recovery Grant, the Gruber Lab and collaborators from ARGUK (), Froglife (), the Centre for Hydrology and Ecology () and Natural England () are investigating common toad (Bufo bufo) ecology and behaviour, and ways to mitigate stress during toad patrol rescues 🐸

Lecturer in Conservation Biology, Kev Palmer, has just returned from a busy spring in the field collecting the first pha...
18/05/2026

Lecturer in Conservation Biology, Kev Palmer, has just returned from a busy spring in the field collecting the first phase of data for his PhD research. His work explores how ongoing recreational disturbance may be affecting adder populations - the UK’s only venomous snake! 🐍

Over the past two months, Kev has been surveying sites across the West Midlands and South West of England, carefully studying whether disturbance influences the body size and overall condition of these fascinating reptiles.

This involved safely capturing, identifying, weighing, and measuring individual adders - some as small as just 7 grams, including a tiny youngster born last year!

All surveys were carried out using specialist protective equipment, with landowner permission, and snakes were released immediately after data collection.

If you’re lucky enough to spot an adder, please admire from a safe distance and avoid disturbing them.

Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to capture and handle adders!

Today is Endangered Species Day 🦍Many of the courses in the School of Natural Sciences have a focus on conservation and ...
15/05/2026

Today is Endangered Species Day 🦍

Many of the courses in the School of Natural Sciences have a focus on conservation and protection of endangered species including:

🐒BSc Animal Behaviour
🦜BSc Zoology
🦋BSc Biology
🦎MSc Wildlife Conservation
🐝MSc Zoology
🦇MSc Animal Behaviour

And, you might be surprised to learn, BSc Forensic Biology!

For the Student Takeover, Hayden has written about his experience with wildlife forensics and the protection of endangered species 🦏

“Forensic Biology has massive applications towards wildlife through wildlife forensics. This is when evidence is provided to enforce legislation that protects wild animals and plants.

This is vital when it comes to the protection of endangered animals and species. Evidence found at the scenes of poaching or the illegal killings of animals can help in punishing those committing illegal trades and poaching. This therefore helps conservation and protection of these endangered species before their populations dip even further.

One example of the sorts of evidence they gather in wildlife forensics is tracing origins of animal products to uncover smuggling routes to lead back to the perpetrators. Other examples also include identifying causes of death in cases where suspected poaching has occurred.”

Forensic Biology is a course that takes foundations in traditional biology and applies it to the law and criminal invest...
13/05/2026

Forensic Biology is a course that takes foundations in traditional biology and applies it to the law and criminal investigations.

I would like to share some of the different areas of Forensic Biology and the key investigative aspects of it with an A-Z of my course!

For more information on the Forensic Biology course visit https://www.chester.ac.uk/study/course-search/forensic-biology-bsc-hons/

- Hayden for the Student Takeover

Address

Parkgate Road
Chester
CH14BJ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Website

https://www

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Natural Sciences - University of Chester posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Natural Sciences - University of Chester:

Shortcuts

Share

Category