Dr Christopher Coates

Affiliate, Science and Engineering

Telephone number

+44 (0) 1792 513296

Email address

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

About

Dr Christopher J. Coates is an Associate Professor in Comparative Immunology at Swansea University specialising in shellfish health and disease, insects as toxicology models, and the roles of oxygen binding/transport proteins in innate immunity.

Christopher is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and was delighted to lead the Academic Team (2015 – 2017) within the Department of Biosciences to secure unconditional accreditation for all listed undergraduate (BSc) programmes. Christopher is an elected member of Swansea University’s Senate, Health and Safety Lead for Biosciences, and Biological & GM Safety Officer for Science.

Outside of the University, Christopher is an elected member of the Royal Society of Biology and International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology, and Editorial Board member of the MDPI journal Pathogens.

Areas Of Expertise

  • Invertebrate Immunology and Haematology
  • Protein Structure, Function and Diversity (e.g., hemocyanins and phenoloxidases)
  • Aquaculture and (Shell) Fisheries
  • Alternative disease models

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Christopher’s teaching approach focusses on equipping biology students with key laboratory skills across all levels. As Module Coordinator for BIO104 Cellular and Microbial Biology, Christopher refreshed the delivery profile with more emphasis on ‘scale’ as a key threshold concept within biology, e.g., from macromolecules – cells – tissues. At level 3, Christopher designed and implemented an intensive Professional Laboratory Skills course (BIO340) that provides students with the diverse skills and experience expected of modern science graduates.

Additionally, Christopher is a contributor to Molecular and Evolutionary Biology (BIO108), and acts as Deputy Module Coordinator for Cells and Immunity (BIO236), and Diseases of Aquatic Animals (BIO313) since 2015.

Research Award Highlights Collaborations