Derron Taite is a PhD candidate currently enrolled in the department of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies Mona, working under the supervision of Dr. Mohammad K. Ali. His research is primarily in the fields of Biochemistry and Neurochemistry, specifically focusing on the biochemical and neurochemical interactions between commonly abused substances, such as alcohol and nicotine, and how these interactions can impact the observable features of organisms, namely morphology and behaviour.Utilizing different behavioural, toxicological and metabolic analyses, his project aims to highlight how the interactions of alcohol and nicotine can influence life-long changes to an organism, especially when introduced during the early stages of life.
Today, he is excited to share with you how a common, easily leachable component of plastics — diethyl phthalate — can have a negative impact on fish health and survival, through analysis of its effects on the freshwater guppy, highlighting some of the ecological risks posed by DEP pollution in aquatic systems.
