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Professor Julian Partridge

Contact details

School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UG.
Phone: +44 (0)117 928 7591 (Internal 87591/45908)
Fax: +44 (0)117 331 7985
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Academic History

Having undertaken my first degree in Zoology at Bristol, I remained in the University to undertake Ph.D. research ("Microspectrophotometry of Vertebrate Photoreceptors") with the late Dr John Lythgoe. My association with John continued with my appointment as a Medical Research Council funded Research Assistant, followed by further MRC funding as a Research Associate. In 1990 I was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship, and in 1995 I received a proleptic lectureship from the University of Bristol. This appointment started in October 1998 and in 1999 I was promoted to Reader in Zoology, and in August 2008 to Professor of Zoology. I received the 'Discovery 2000' award from the Royal Geographical Society in 2000.

Research Interests

Since my postgraduate research, my career has centered on the study of animal vision, and particularly the Ecology of Vision. This theme is now embodied in the Ecology of Vision Research Laboratory at the University of Bristol. A full description of my research interests can be found by following the link to the documents describing of the research activities of the Ecology of Vision Research Lab and those given below. Briefly, my research tackles aspects of animal vision ranging from photoreceptor physiology (particularly measurement of visual pigment absorption spectra) to visual mediated behaviour. This work has been founded on aquatic, especially marine animals but has now diversified to include work on birds, amphibians and crustaceans. Specific research interests include:

• Visual pigments in vertebrates and invertebrates.
• Deep-sea research. I have participated in 16 research cruises, including two with the Johnson Sea Link research submersibles and as Principal Scientist on RRS Challenger and RRS Discovery. This work is directed towards the understanding of the role of vision and bioluminescence in the deep-sea. In 2008 I will participate as a member of an international team within the DeepOcean Australia project using submersibles to investigate the deep sea around Australia.
• Colour vision in birds, particularly the function of ultraviolet sensitivity.

Recent Publications

Journal

• Wagner, H-J, Douglas, RH, Frank, TM, Roberts, NW & Partridge, JC. (2009) A novel vertebrate eye using both refractive and reflective optics. Current Biology, Cell Press, 19(2), 108 - 114.

• Hastad, OE, Partridge, JC & Odeen, A. (2009) Ultraviolet photopigment sensitivity and ocular media transmittance in gulls, with an evolutionary perspective. J. Comp. Physiol. A, Springer Berlin/Heidelberg, 195(6), 585 - 590.

• Turner, JR, White, EM, Collins, MA, Douglas, RH & Partridge, JC. (2009) Vision in lanternfish (Myctophidae): adaptations for viewing bioluminescence in the deep sea. Deep Sea Res. 1, Elsevier Ltd, 56(6), 1003 - 1017.

• Archard, GA, Cuthill, IC, Partridge, JC & Oosterhout, C. van. (2008) Female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) show no preference for conspecific chemosensory cues in the field or an artificial flow chamber. Behaviour, 145(10), 1329 - 1346.

• Brindley, A, Pickersgill, RW, Partridge, JC, Hunt, DM & Warren, MJ. (2008) Enzyme sequence and its relationship to hyperbaric stability of artificial and natural fish lactate dehydrogenase. PLoS ONE, 3(4):e2042

• Stevens, M, Parraga, CA, Cuthill, IC, Partridge, JC & Troscianko, T. (2007) Using digital photography to study animal coloration. Biol. J. Linnean Soc, 90, 211 - 237.

• Mosk, V, Thomas, N, Hart, NS, Partridge, JC, Beazley, LD & Shand, J. (2007) Spectral sensitivities of the seahorses Hippocampus subelongatus and Hippocampus barbouri and the pipefish Stigmatopora argus. Visual Neuroscience, Cambridge University Press, 24 (3), 345 - 354.

• Partridge, JC, White, EM & Douglas, RH. (2006) The effect of elevated hydrostatic pressure on the spectral absorption of deep-sea fish visual pigments. Journal of Experimental Biology, Company of Biologists, 209 (2), 314 - 319.

• Priede, IG, Bagley, PM, Way, S, Herring, PJ & Partridge, JC. (2006) Bioluminescence in deep sea: Free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, Elsevier, 53 (7), 1272 - 1283.

• Archard, GA, Partridge, JC & Cuthill, IC. (2006) Condition-dependent mate choice in the guppy: a role for short-term food restriction? Behaviour, Brill, 143, 1317 - 1340.

View All Publications Held on the University of Bristol's IRIS database

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