Research interests
My research interests principally involve the behavioural and biochemical mechanisms of olfactory communication, focusing on urinary scent marking in wild house mice and other rodents. Current research includes investigating the heterogeneity of MUPs, and protein suppression in wild house mice. My main responsibility is to manage all of the MBE research facilities.
Education and career
- BSc (Honours), Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia (1982 - 1985)
- MSc in Wildlife Management & Control, University of Reading (1986 - 1987)
- Research Associate, University of Reading (1987 - 1989)
- Voluntary Research Associate, World Wide Fund for Nature, Tamil Nadu, India (1989)
- PhD, Zoology, and Research Associate, University of Reading (1989 - 1994), Investigations into possible behavioural resistance in inner-city house mice in the UK
- BBSRC Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Nottingham (1997 - 1998)
- Senior Experimental Officer, Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, University of Liverpool (1998 - 2012)
- Research Facility Manager, Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, University of Liverpool (2012 - present)
Publications
Beynon, R.J., Hurst, J.L., Turton, M.J., Robertson, D.H.L., Armstrong, S.D., Cheetham, S.A., Simpson, D., MacNicoll, A. & Humphries, R.E. (2008) Urinary lipocalins in Rodenta: is there a generic model?. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11 (Eds. J.L. Hurst, R.J. Beynon, S.C. Roberts & T.D. Wyatt), pp.37-50. Springer, New York.
Hurst, J.L., Thom, M.D., Nevison, C.M., Humphries, R.E. & Beynon R.J. (2005) MHC odours are not required or sufficient for recognition of individual scent owners. Proceedings of the Royal Society series B, 272, 715-724.
Hurst, J.L., Thom, M.D., Nevison, C.M., Humphries, R.E. & Beynon R.J. (2005) The “scents” of ownership. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 10 (Ed. R.T. Mason, M.P. LeMaster & D. Muller-Schwarze), pp.199-208. Springer, New York.
Malone, N., Armstrong, S.D., Humphries, R.E., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2005) The signalling of competitive ability by male house mice. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 10 (Ed. R.T. Mason, M.P. LeMaster & D. Muller-Schwarze), pp.77-88. Springer, New York.
Nevison, C.M., Armstrong, S.D., Beynon, R.J., Humphries, R.E. & Hurst, J.L. (2003) The ownership signal in mouse scents marks is involatile. Proceedings of the Royal Society series B, 270, 1957-1963.
Beynon, R.J., Veggerby, C., Payne, C.E., Robertson, D.H.L., Gaskell, S.J., Humphries, R.E., Hurst, J.L. (2002) Polymorphism in major urinary proteins: Molecular heterogeneity in a wild mouse population. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 28, 1429-1446.
Beynon, R.J., Hurst, J.L., Gaskell, S.J., Hubbard, S.J., Humphries, R.E., Malone, N., Marie, A.D., Martinsen, L., Nevison, C.M., Payne, C.E., Robertson, D.H.L. & Veggerby,C. (2001) Mice, MUPs and myths – structure-function relationships of the major urinary proteins. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp149-156. New York: Plenum Press.
Humphries, R.E., Robertson, D.H.L., Nevison, C.M, Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2001) The role of urinary proteins and volatiles in competitive scent marking among male house mice. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp353-360. Plenum Press, New York.
Hurst, J.L., Beynon, R.J., Humphries, R.E., Malone, N., Nevison, C.M., Payne, C.E., Robertson, D.H.L. & Veggerby, C. (2001) Information in scent signals of status: the interface between behaviour and chemistry. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp43-50. Plenum Press, New York.
Hurst, J.L., Payne, C.E., Nevison, C.M., Marie, A.D., Humphries, R.E., Robertson, D.H.L., Cavaggioni, A. & Beynon, R.J. (2001) Individual recognition in mice mediated by Major Urinary Proteins. Nature 414, 631-634.
Payne, C.E., Malone, N., Humphries, R., Bradbrook, C., Veggerby, C., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2001) Heterogeneity of major urinary proteins in house mice: population and sex differences. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp233-240. Plenum Press, New York.
Humphries, R.E., Sibly, R.M. and Meehan, A.P. (2000). Cereal aversion in behaviourally-resistant house mice in Birmingham, UK. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 66, 323-333. (erratum vol 69, 175-176)
Humphries, R.E., Robertson, D.H.L., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (1999) Unravelling the chemical basis of competitive scent marking in house mice. Animal Behaviour 58, 1177-1190.
Humphries, R.E., Sibly, R.M. and Meehan, A.P. (1996). The characteristics of behavioural resistance and bait avoidance in house mice in the UK. Proc. BCPC Pests and Diseases Conf., Brighton, November 1996, 1, 157-164.
Humphries, R.E., Meehan, A.P. and Sibly, R.M. (1992). Characteristics and history of behavioural resistance in inner-city house mice in the UK. Proc. Vertebrate Pest Conf., University of California, USA, March 1992, 161-164.
Humphries, R.E., Smith, R.H. and Sibly, R.M. (1990). Effects of human disturbance on the welfare of fallow deer in parks. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 28, 302. Humphries, R.E., Sibly, R.M. and Smith, R.H. (1989). Effects of human disturbance on the welfare of fallow deer in parks. Jour. British Deer Society, 7, 458-463.
Sibly, R.M. and Humphries, R.E. (1988). Effects of stress and disturbance in deer. Proc. British Deer Society Symp., Manchester, April 1988, 27-38.
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