Dr Sarah Dalesman
Qualifications
June 2016 HEA Fellow Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Aberystwyth University.
2003-2007 PhD University of Plymouth. Anti-predator behaviour in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis.
2002-2003 MRes University of Aberdeen. MRes (Distinction) in Marine and Fisheries Science.
1995-1999 BSc University of Edinburgh. BScHons (1st) Zoology
Positions Held
Jan 2014 – Current Lecturer in Freshwater Biology IBERS, Aberystwyth University, U.K.
Sept 2012 – Jan 2014 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Biosciences, University of Exeter. U.K.
Sep 2008 – Sep 2012 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary. Canada
June 2007 – Aug 2008 Administration Assistant Education department, University of Plymouth. U.K.
Sep 2003- June 2007 Ph.D. MBERC, University of Plymouth. U.K.
Teaching Responsibilities
Deputy co-ordinator C164 Marine and Freshwater Biology scheme (~100 students)
Supervisor: C109 MBiol Marine and Freshwater Biology, 1-2 students p.a.
Supervisor: BR32330 Honours Dissertation (research project) 30 credits level 3, 10 students pa.
Co-ordinator: BR22020 Freshwater Biology (30 lectures; 6 laboratory classes) 20 credits level 2, 70 students pa
Co-ordinator: BR32910 Freshwater Biology Field Course (week long)10 credits level 3, 35 students pa.
Lecturer: BR31510 Behavioural Neurobiology (6 lectures and 1 lab classes) 10 credits level 3, 95 students pa.
Lecturer: BR34210 Threats to Natural Ecosystems (7 lectures and 1 workshop) 10 credits level 3, 65 students pa
Tutor: BR12210 Molecular Lab Skills (12 tutorials). 10 credits level 1, 10 students pa.
Tutor: BR12410 Study and Communication Skills (12 tutorials) 10 credits level 1, 10 students pa.
PhD supervision:
2014-Current T. Shepherd-Waring IBERS Developmental effects on plasticity and consistency in behaviour.
Masters supervision:
2016-Current P. Stevenson Impact of acid remediation on invertebrate communities. Aberystwyth University.
2014-2015 A. Doherty Early life lessons in antipredator behaviour. Aberystwyth University.
2013-2014 M. Jackson Developmental toxicity of beta-blockers in embryonic Lymnaea stagnalis. University of Exeter.
Academic Administration
2016-Current External Examiner University of Chester, undergraduate level.
2015-Current IBERS National Student Survey representative
2014-Current Deputy degree scheme coordinator for Marine and Freshwater Biology (C164)
Editorial Responsibilities
2014-current: Editor Animal Behaviour.
2012-2014: Consulting editor, Animal Behaviour.
Grants
07/15-06/16 University Research Fund, Aberystwyth University
09/12-08/15 Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, University of Exeter initially, moved to Aberystwyth University (01/01/14).
Research area: The causes and consequences of variation in cognitive ability among natural populations.
Funding: The Leverhulme Trust.
10/08-08/12 AIHS Postgraduate Fellowship, University of Calgary.
Research area: The effects of environmental stress on learning and memory in the freshwater gastropod, Lymnaea stagnalis.
Funding: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Fellowship from Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions.
Small Grants
ASAB summer studentship (2013)
Joy Welch Foundation summer internship (2017)
Publications
Peer reviewed papers
- Jones, R., Williams, H., Dalesman, S., Sinmidele, A., Thomas, R.K., Brophy, P. (2017). The prevalence and development of digenean parasites within their intermediate snail host, Galba truncatula, in a geographic area where the presence of Calicophoron daubneyi has recently been confirmed. Veterinary Parasitology.
- Jones, R.A., Williams, H.W., Dalesman, S. & Brophy, P.M. (2015) Confirmation of Galba truncatula as an intermediate host snail for Calicophoron daubneyi in Great Britain, with evidence of alternative snail species hosting Fasciola hepatica. Parasites & vectors, 8, 656.
- Liddon, J. & Dalesman, S. (2015) Trail following differs between wild and captive-reared snails, Lymnaea stagnalis. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 81, 299-302.
- Dalesman, S., Thomas, A. & Rundle, S.D. (2015) Local adaptation and embryonic plasticity affect antipredator traits in hatchling pond snails. Freshwater Biology, 60, 663-672.
- Dalesman, S., Rendle, A. & Dall, S.R.X. (2015) Habitat stability, predation risk and ‘memory syndromes’. Scientific reports, 5, 10538.
- Sayer, E. J., Featherstone, H. C., Gosling, W. D., Bird-Matthews, F., Pierce, S. C., Heard, M. S., Griffiths, H., Walker, T., Gould, I. J., Baxendale, C., Fawdon, P., Gunn, L., Salmon, K., Dixon, S., Rogers, H., Rose, A., Dalesman, S. & Powell, T. (2014) Sex & Bugs & Rock ‘n Roll – getting creative about public engagement. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 29, 65-67.
- Lukowiak, K., Sunada, H., Teskey, M. & Dalesman, S. (2014) Environmentally relevant stressors alter memory formation in the pond snail Lymnaea. Journal of Experimental Biology, 217, 76-83.
- Dalesman, S., Sunada, H., Teskey, M. L. & Lukowiak, K. (2013) Combining stressors that individually impede long-term memory blocks all memory processes. Plos One, 8.
- Teskey, M.L., Lukowiak, K.S., Riaz, H., Dalesman, S. and Lukowiak, K. (2012) ‘What’s Hot?’: The enhancing effects of thermal stress on long-term memory formation in Lymnaea. Journal of Experimental Biology. 215. 4322-4329.
- Dalesman, S. & Lukowiak, K. (2012) Alternate behavioural measurements following a single operant training regime demonstrate differences in memory retention. Animal Cognition. 15. 483-494.
- Dalesman, S. & Lukowiak, K. (2012) How Stress Alters Memory in ‘Smart’ Snails. PLoS ONE. 7 (2). e32334.
- Fruson, L., Dalesman, S. & Lukowiak, K. (2012) A flavonol present in cocoa ((-)epicatechin) enhances snail memory. Journal of Experimental Biology. 215. 3566-3576.
- Karnik, V., Dalesman, S. & Lukowiak, K. (2012) Input from a chemosensory organ, the osphradium, does not mediate aerial respiration in Lymnaea stagnalis. Aquatic Biology. 15. 167-173.
- Cantrup, R., Dixit, R., Palmesino, E., Bonfield, S., Shaker, T., Zinyk, D., Dalesman, S., Yamakawa, K., Stell, W.K., Wong, R.O., Kania, A., Sauvé, Y. & Schuurmans, C. (2012) Cell-Type Specific Roles for PTEN in Establishing a Functional Retinal Architecture. PLoS ONE e32795.
- Byzitter, J., Lukowiak, K., Karnik, V. and Dalesman, S. (2012) Acute combined exposure to heavy metals (Zn, Cd) blocks memory formation in a freshwater snail. Ecotoxicology. 21. 860-868.
- Karnik, V., Braun, M.H., Dalesman, S. and Lukowiak, K. (2012) Sensory input from the osphradium modulates the response to memory enhancing stressors in Lymnaea stagnalis. Journal of Experimental Biology. 215. 536-542.
- Dalesman, S. and Lukowiak, K. (2011) Social snails: the effect of social isolation on cognition is dependent on environmental context. Journal of Experimental Biology. 214. 4179.4185.
- Dalesman, S. and Lukowiak, K. (2011) Interaction between environmental stressors mediated via the same sensory pathway. Communicative and Integrative Biology. 4. 717-719.
- Dalesman, S. Rundle, S.D. and Lukowiak, K. (2011) Microgeographical variability in long-term memory formation in the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. Animal Behavior. 82. 311-319.
- Dalesman, S., Karnik, V. and Lukowiak, K. (2011) Sensory mediation of memory blocking stressors in the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. Journal of Experimental Biology. 2528-2533.
- Knezevic, B., Dalesman, S., Karnik, V., Byzitter, J. & Lukowiak, K. (2011) Low external environmental calcium levels prevent forgetting in Lymnaea. Journal of Experimental Biology. 214. 2118-2124.
- Dalesman, S. Braun, M.H. and Lukowiak, K. (2011) Low environmental calcium blocks long-term memory formation in a freshwater pulmonate snail. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 95. 393-403.
- Dalesman, S. and Rundle, S.D. (2010) Influence of rearing and experimental temperature on predator avoidance behaviour in a freshwater pulmonate snail. Freshwater Biology. 55. 2107-2113.
- Lukowiak, K., Orr, M., de Caigny, P., Lukowiak, K.S., Rosenegger, D., Han, J.I. and Dalesman, S. (2010) Ecologically relevant stressors modify long-term memory formation in a model system. Behavioural Brain Research. 214. 18-24.
- Dalesman, S. and Lukowiak, K. (2010) Effect of acute exposure to low environmental calcium alters respiration and locomotion of Lymnaea stagnalis (L.). Journal of Experimental Biology. 213. 1471-1476.
- Dalesman, S. and Rundle, S.D. (2010) Cohabitation enhances the avoidance response to heterospecific alarm cues in a freshwater snail. Animal Behaviour. 79. 173-177.
- Dalesman, S., Rundle, S.D. and Cotton, P.A. (2009) Developmental plasticity compensates for selected low levels of behavioural avoidance in a freshwater snail Animal Behaviour. 78. 987-991.
- Dalesman, S., Rundle, S.D. and Cotton, P.A. (2009) Crawl-out behaviour in response to predation cues in an aquatic gastropod: insights from artificial selection. Evolutionary Ecology. 23. 907-918.
- Dalesman, S. and Inchley, C.J. (2008) Interaction between olfactory and visual cues affects flight initiation by the hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus. Behaviour, 145, 1479-1492.
- Dalesman, S., Rundle, S.D., Bilton, D.T. and Cotton, P.A. (2007) Phylogenetic relatedness and ecological interactions determine antipredator behaviour. Ecology 88 2462-2467.
- Dalesman, S., Rundle, S.D. and Cotton, P.A. (2007) Predator regime influences innate anti-predator behaviour in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis. Freshwater Biology. 52, 2134-2140.
- Dalesman, S., Rundle, S. D., Coleman, R. A. & Cotton, P. A. (2006) Cue association and antipredator behaviour in a pulmonate snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. Animal Behaviour, 71, 789-797. IF: 3.068, citations: 43
- Bricknell, I. R., Dalesman, S. J., O’Shea, B., Pert, C. C. & Luntz, A. J. M. (2006) Effect of environmental salinity on sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis settlement success. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 71, 201-212.
Book chapter
Lukowiak, K. & Dalesman, S. (2013) Operant Conditioning of Respiration in Lymnaea: The Environmental Context. In: Eds Menzel, R. & Benjamin, P. Invertebrate Learning and Memory. Elsevier B.V.