Gift David

• Ecophysiology
• Conservation physiology
• Micro/nanoplastic pollution
• Ecotoxicological risks of micro/nanoplastics
• Emerging contaminant toxicology
• Pharmaceuticals and personal care products ecotoxicology and
• Biomonitoring of contaminants of emerging concern

I am currently pursuing a PhD as a President’s Doctoral Scholar in the Shiels Lab at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, where my research focuses on understanding the impacts of micro/nanoplastics and their ecocorona properties on the health of freshwater fishes, specifically Cypriniformes and Gasterosteiformes. My research aims to assess how these pollutants influence fish behaviour, physiology, and overall health, in isolation and in combination with climate change challenges such as temperature fluctuations and altered flow regimes. My research is crucial to understanding the broader ecological implications of microplastic pollution on fish swimming behaviour and physiology.

I earned my first degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture from the University of Uyo, Nigeria, where I evaluated the growth performance of Clarias gariepinus using on-farm and commercial feeds. Over the next five years, I worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Uyo, honing skills in experimental design, statistical analysis, data interpretation, and manuscript preparation. My research focused on sustainable aquaculture, food security, and the impacts of freshwater and marine pollution.

Driven to explore the specific impacts of microplastics, I pursued an MSc in Pollution and Environmental Control at the University of Manchester as a Commonwealth Scholar, investigating the accumulation and distribution of microplastics in surface water, sediment and point bar of the River Tame, Greater Manchester. This sparked a deeper interest in the interactions between micro/nanoplastics and aquatic life, leading me to pursue a second MSc in Marine Biological Resources at Ghent University and 4 other European universities in Italy, Sweden, France, and Ireland as an Erasmus Mundus Scholar. My projects included: characterising microfibres in the guts of commercial fish along the South African coast, assessing the effects of pharmaceuticals (e.g., paracetamol) on calanoid copepods, and assessing the histopathological changes of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed to anthropogenic pollutants, including microplastics.

My overarching goal is to unravel the intricate interactions between contaminants of emerging concern and aquatic ecosystems, focusing on micro/nanoplastic pollution in pelagic and benthic communities. Currently, under the supervision of Prof. Holly Shiels, Dr. Cyrill Bussy, and Dr. Ian Kane, my PhD research investigates how microplastics, their ecocorona properties, and environmental factors influence the well-being and growth of freshwater teleosts.

• FTIR Spectroscopy
• Histopathological assessment
• Microplastic quantification and polymer analysis
• Biochemical and molecular biomarker analysis

• Member, Fisheries Society of the British Isles
• Member, Institute of Fisheries Management
• Member, British Ecological Society 
• Member, Freshwater Biological Association of Nigeria
• Member, Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
• Member, Asian Council of Science Editors
• Member, Energy Institute

When I'm not in the lab, I am usually at the Core Technology Facility (3rd floor) between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.

• Professor, Holly Shiels
• Dr Cyrill Bussy
• Dr Ian Kane

• Host and Speaker at several youth development initiatives, including - scholarship made easy, a Guide to Erasmus Mundus Scholarships, winning an international scholarship as a young person from a developing country, leveraging international opportunities for enhancing your career in agriculture, and getting it right at first attempt (Commonwealth and Chevening Application Guidelines), hosted by different educational youth-led initiatives.
• Educational and public awareness outreach as a Time-out member of Aquaworld Community Development Initiative, where I host webinars and write blogs on the impacts of plastic pollution on the freshwater and marine environment.
• Speaker on the radio - How to successfully start a homestead and small-scale aquaculture venture.
• Secretary and then President of the Fisheries and Aquatic Environmental Management Students’ Association, University of Uyo Chapter.