Blaxter lab collaborations (April 2006)
[note that these are not in any order, of importance or alphabet or geography...]

Ralf Schmid	University of Leicester With Ralf, we are investigating the structure-function relationships of the ASP/SCP/PR1 family of proteins. Ralph's structural bioinformatics background is helping us model variant and conserved members of this enigmatic protein familly.
Tom Little	University of Edinburgh We are collaborating with Tom in investigating the immune-associated genome of Daphnia pulex and Daphnia magna. Tom is a research fellow who is interested in the coevolutionary process that occurs between hosts and parasites. Daphnia, because of their clonal and sexual reproductive modes, are key model; organisms for laboratory and ecological study of the evolution of immunity and virulence.
Chris Jiggins	University of Edinburgh Chris Jiggins is examining the evolutionary ecology of speciation using Heliconius butterflies as a model system. By comparing the developmental programmes underpinning the shared wing patterns in mimetic species pairs, Chris hopes to uncover the genetics that underpin speciation in these fascinating models. Part of Chris' approach includes genome analyses, and we are assisting with EST generation and annotation, and in genome sequence analysis.
John Parkinson	University of Toronto John is developing large scale tools and carrying out large-scale analyses on the diversity of organisms represented by partial and complete genome data. He has a particular interest in predicting bioche3mical function, and organismal physiology, from genome datasets. We collaborate with Jonh in the analysis of EST datasets from neglected anuimal phyla.
Michael Akam	University of Cambridge Michael is an evolutionary developmental biologist with a key interest in the evolution of the genetic programmes that define animal body plans. He has been colllaborating with us on the analysis of tardigrade development.
Paul De Ley	University of California, Riverside Paul is a nematologist par excellence who combines an apparent omniscience of nematode morphjologyu and systematics with a keen insight into the key analyses required for elucidating still-unanswered questions. Paul is a key collaborator in our ongoing analysis of nematode diversity, molecular phylogenetics and DNA barcoding.
Judi Allen	University of Edinburgh Judi is a filarial immunologist edxploring the interactions between parasitic nematodes and their mammalian hosts. We collaborate with Judi in analysis of nematode EST datasets (partoicularly from her model filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis) andearlier from mouse macrophages conditioned by exposure to filarial nematodes.
Alan Tunnnacliffe	University of Cambridge Alan is a research biotechnologist intetested in the biology of cryptobiosis, using nematodes and rotifers as models. We collaborate in the production and analysis of ESTs from rotifers and other neglected phyla.
Ariel Chipman	University of Cambridge Ariel is a research fellow in Michael Akam's lab who is researching the early development of the centipede Strigamia maritima. We have generated and analysed EST datasets from a library supplied by Ariel.
Cassandra Extavour	University of Cambridge Cassandra is researching the early development of a series of new arthropod model organisms. We have generated and / or analysed EST datasets with cassandra from the crustacean Parhyale hawaiiensis and the insect Oncopeltus fasciatus.
Mike Allen	Marine Biology Laboratory, University of Plymouth Mike is a marione biologist studying the interaction between the coccolithophore alga Emiliania huxleyi and the viruses which infect it. These viruses have huge genomes (for viruses - 700 kb plus). We have assisted Mike in analysis of EST datasets from virus infected E. huxleyi.
Dave Knox	Moredun Institute, Edinburgh Dave is a nematode biologist interested in developing new immunoprophylactics for major parasites of Scottish ruminants, particularlyu sheep. We have collaborated with Dave in generation and analysis of Haemonchus contortus ESTs, and also in generation and analysis of ESTs from the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis.
Julian Parkhill and colleagues	The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge The PSU, under Bart Barrell, is one of the world's foremost pathogen and parasite genomics centres. We have collaborated with several members of the Sanger Institute through the years, including Steve Jones, Dan Lawson, Mike Quail, Al Ivens, Matt Berriman, Neil Hall and others, on nematiode ESTs, nematode genomics and Wolbachia genomics projects. We are keen users of the PSU-originated "ARTEMIS" genome analysis workbench.
Makedonka Mitreva and colleagues	Washington University Genome Sequencing Center, St. Louis Makedonka and her colleagues in WashU GSC are our close collaborators in the nematode EST sequencing programme.
The EcoWorm Consortium	Pete Kille, A. John Morgan, Steven Sturzenbaum, Unibversity of Cardiff Dave Spurgeon and Claus Svendsen, CEH Monk's Wood and others... This consortium brings together EST sequencing and analysis expertise (Edinburgh), microarray expertise (Cardiff), earthworm lifecycle modelling (Monk's Wood), earthworm toxicology (Cardiff and Monk's Wood) and C. elegans toxicogenetics (Cardiff) to analyse the responses of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus and the nematode C. elegans to toxic metals and organic pollutants. The consortium has expanded and applied for a second tranche of funding to examine the phylogeography of metal tolerance adaptation in L. rubellus.
Graham Stone	University of Edinburgh Graham is an ecologically-minded phylogeographer, who examines the trophic and phylogeographic interactions in two communities: acacia pollinators, and oak gall wasps and their parasitoids. He is a key collaborator in the new earthworm consortium programme, providing phylogeographic expertise and enthusiasm. He also assists by supplying strange animals for Mark's diversity projects, and unending enthusiasm.
Dawn Field and the NERC Environmental Bioinformatics Centre	CEH Oxford The NEBC is a one-stop shop for NERC scientists involved in "environmental genomics", offering advice and services for planning and execution of research programmes, as well as acting as the NERC repositoory for environmental genomics data. We were part of a previous incarnation of NEBC (as the EGTDC) and developed the PartiGene system for installation on the NERC-sponsored Bio-Linux customised LINUX distribution.
and many others, who supply specimens, cDNA libraries, specimens, discussion and other intangibles