Projects per year
Personal profile
Scholarly biography
A marine biologist, Corina’s expertise is in functional ecotoxicology, focusing on biological responses of marine organisms to environmental stressors. Prior to working at the University of Brighton, Corina was a full-time Research Fellow at the University of Sussex in the Aquatic Toxicology group. She was involved in a wide range of international research programmes, looking at detoxification mechanisms in marine invertebrates and their use as biomarkers, induction of DNA damage in critical growth regulating genes and impairment of sex determination/differentiation mechanisms in marine bivalves.
Corina has written chapters in Mussels: Ecology, Life Habits and Control (edited by Nova Science Publishers, New York, 2013) and published research in high impact scientific journals.
At the University of Brighton, Dr Ciocan is the module leader for level 4, 6 and 7 marine related modules in PABS; but teaches in several other modules across School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences and School of Environment and Technology.
Corina is also the Admission tutor for Biological Sciences in PABS.
Research interests
My research interests focus on the biological effects of various classes of aquatic environmental stressors, contaminants in particular, at cellular and molecular level - functional ecotoxicology. The key challenge is to understand the mechanism of action of newly emerged contaminats (pharmaceuticals, microplastics, personal care products) that can negatively impact the health and physiology of marine organisms, and moreover, the potential for climate change to alter these responses.
Detoxification mechanisms and their use as biomarkers of environmental contamination (ie. metallothionein isoforms and expression levels, CYP450 and the glutathione systems) in marine invertebrates and fish.
Induction of DNA damage in critical growth regulating genes, such as the ras oncogene and p53 tumour suppressor gene, plus their role in development of a 'mutator phenotype' and genome instability.
Also, reproductive mechanisms of marine invertebrates and wonderful ways in which stressors (climatic or human induced, ie. pharmaceuticals, microplastics) interfere with sex determination/differentiation.
Approach to teaching
I like to teach Marine Biology in ways that place the experiment and practice at the centre of everything I explain, for there can be no successful teaching without creating an active learning environment.
I am motivated by the prospect of supplying students with the possibility of becoming explorers or researchers, even for two hours a day; I bring a lot of my personal experience into the class room and I grab every opportunity to take my students outdoor, on the coast.
Supervisory Interests
I am interested in supervising postgraduate research students in the area of ecotoxicology/marine biology: pollutants impact on marine organisms, biomarkers of stress in aquatic invertebrates, microplastics as vector for marine pollutants, transgenerational effects of aquatic pollutants.
Education/Academic qualification
15 Sep 2014 → 18 Jul 2016
Award Date: 18 Jul 2016
PhD, University of Agronomic sciences and Veterinary medicine
1 Sep 1998 → 1 Oct 2003
Award Date: 1 Oct 2003
Master, University of Bucharest
15 Sep 1987 → 15 Jul 1992
Award Date: 15 Jul 2002
External positions
General council member, Sussex IFCA
18 May 2021 → 17 May 2025
Keywords
- QP Physiology
- Ecotoxicology
- reproductive impairment
- Endocrine disruptors
- biomarkers
- Transcriptomics
- Q Science (General)
- Marine Biology
- aquatic pollution
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RedPol: RedPol Reduction of Pollution by endocrine disrupting compounds at source : innovative products for the commercial lab market
Ciocan, C., Bucca, G., Hesketh, A., Stewart, N. & Fox, N.
1/07/20 → 30/06/23
Project: EU / International
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Endocrine disruption, reproductive cycle and pollutants in blue mussels
Ciocan, C. & Koagouw, W., 6 Oct 2022Research output: Other contribution
Open Access -
First evidence of GRP boats’ “cancerous” impact on aquatic life
Ciocan, C., 20 Jul 2022Research output: Non-textual output › Web publication/site
Open Access -
Gonadal Atresia, Estrogen-Responsive, and Apoptosis-Specific mRNA Expression in Marine Mussels from the East China Coast: A Preliminary Study
Zhu, J., Li, J., Chapman, E., Shi, H., Ciocan, C., Chen, K., Shi, X., Zhou, J., Sun, P., Zheng, Y. & Rotchell, J., 24 Jan 2022, In: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 108, 6, p. 1111-1117 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Tackling pollution in Chichester Harbour
Ciocan, C. & Annels, C., 9 Mar 2022, 2 p.Research output: Other contribution
Open Access -
Chemical characterization of variably degraded fibre glass reinforced plastic from the marine environment
Hopkinson, L., Ostapishin, S., Kristova, P., Hamilton, K. & Ciocan, C., 26 Oct 2021, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 173, Pt B, 113094.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
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Fibreglass and oysters don't mix
Corina Ciocan (Presenter)
15 Oct 2022Activity: External talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Endocrine disruptors and reproductive success in blue mussels
Corina Ciocan (Presenter)
6 Oct 2022Activity: External talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Abandoned boats – a “hot potato” problem for authorities, a clear danger for the environment
Corina Ciocan (Presenter) & Mary Gearey (Presenter)
17 Sep 2022Activity: External talk or presentation › Invited talk
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NERC Exploring the Frontiers scheme
Corina Ciocan (Member of expert group)
1 Sep 2022 → 1 Nov 2022Activity: External funding peer-review
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Transport and fate of microplastics through the wastewater treatment process and beyond
Corina Ciocan (Examiner)
1 Jun 2022 → 22 Sep 2022Activity: External examination and supervision › Research degree