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
School of Education
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
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Projects
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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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Research output
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Abandoned fibreglass boats are releasing toxins and microplastics across the world
Ciocan, C., 4 Aug 2020, The Conversation Trust (UK).Research output: Other contribution
Open Access -
Fibreglass contamination in Chichester Harbour
Ciocan, C., 26 Jul 2020Research output: Other contribution
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Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) a new emerging contaminant - First evidence of GRP impact on aquatic organisms
Ciocan, C., Kristova, P., Annels, C., Derjean, M. & Hopkinson, L., 15 Aug 2020, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 160, 111559.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Interreg RedPol project presentation
Ciocan, C., 8 Oct 2020, (Accepted/In press)Research output: Other contribution
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Nautical not nice: how fibreglass boats have become a global pollution problem
Ciocan, C., 5 Aug 2020Research output: Other contribution
Activities
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METSTRADE Conference on Sustainability of boating industry
Corina Ciocan (Member of programme committee)
10 Dec 2020Activity: Events › Conference
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Toxics (Journal)
Corina Ciocan (Member of editorial board)
20 Nov 2020 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work
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Newton Fund Impact Scheme
Corina Ciocan (Reviewer)
15 Aug 2020 → 31 Aug 2020Activity: External funding peer-review
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The Guardian (Journal)
Corina Ciocan (Member of editorial board)
5 Aug 2020Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work
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The Conversation (Publisher)
Corina Ciocan (Member of editorial board)
4 Aug 2020Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work