Dr Steve Slocombe

Lecturer, Biosciences

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Office - 014
Ground Floor
Margam Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/

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About

I am a Biotechnologist with much experience in Plants and Algae. I am also interested in the Marine Environment.

Microalgal biotechnology is a fascinating new field showing great promise for Waste remediation, Bioenergy and Natural Products (materials, medicines, industrial feedstocks and more). Most of my research focuses in this area.

Please get in touch to tap into my area of expertise and to collaborate on projects that interest you.

Areas Of Expertise

Plant and Algal Biotechnology
Marine Biology
Lipids and Secondary Products
Algal Physiology
Photosynthesis
Bioinformatics and Data Analysis

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

I teach at the undergraduate and post graduate level.

My teaching areas are cellular & microbial biology, natural products, life in the oceans, algal biotechnology and molecular biology skills.

Research Collaborations

Publications

Research Highlights

Baker, A., Slocombe, S., & Graham, I. (2009). Regulation of peroxisomal fatty acid transport in plants
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65492
https://patents.google.com/patent/US7626079B2/en
Bhat, R., Riehl, M., Santandrea, G., Velasco, R., Slocombe, S., Donn, G., Steinbiss, H., Thompson, R., & Becker, H. (2003). Alteration of GCN5 levels in maize reveals dynamic responses to manipulating histone acetylation. The Plant Journal, 33(3), 455-469.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01642.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65491
Besser, K., Harper, A., Welsby, N., Schauvinhold, I., Slocombe, S., Li, Y., Dixon, R., & Broun, P. (2009). Divergent Regulation of Terpenoid Metabolism in the Trichomes of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Species. Plant Physiology, 149(1), 499-514.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.108.126276, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65490
Slocombe, S., Zhang, Q., Ross, M., Stanley, M., & Day, J. (2016). Screening and Improvement of Marine Microalgae for Oil Production. In Stephen P. Slocombe, John R. Benemann (Ed.), Microalgal Production for Biomass and High-Value Products Edition 1st Edition (pp. 91-112). Taylor & Francis Group
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65489
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/b19464-4/screening-improvement-marine-microalgae-oil-production-stephen-slocombe-qianyi-zhang-michael-ross-michele-stanley-john-day?context=ubx&refId=d38553cd-a5aa-4692-8dbe-512a91233381
Slocombe, S., Laurie, S., Bertini, L., Beaudoin, F., Dickinson, J., & Halford, N. (2002). Identification of SnIP1, a novel protein that interacts with SNF1-related protein kinase (SnRK1). Plant Molecular Biology, 49(1), 31-44.
https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1014464314113, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65488
Footitt, S. & Slocombe, S. (2002). Control of germination and lipid mobilization by COMATOSE, the Arabidopsis homologue of human ALDP. The EMBO Journal, 21(12), 2912-2922.
https://doi.org/10.1093/emboj/cdf300, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65487
Sparkes, I., Brandizzi, F., Slocombe, S., El-Shami, M., Hawes, C., & Baker, A. (2003). An Arabidopsis pex10 Null Mutant Is Embryo Lethal, Implicating Peroxisomes in an Essential Role during Plant Embryogenesis. Plant Physiology, 133(4), 1809-1819.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.103.031252, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65486
Slocombe, S., Beaudoin, F., Donaghy, P., Hardie, D., Dickinson, J., & Halford, N. (2004). SNF1-related protein kinase (SnRK1) phosphorylates class I heat shock protein. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 42(2), 111-116.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2003.11.009, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65485
Theodoulou, F., Job, K., Slocombe, S., Footitt, S., Holdsworth, M., Baker, A., Larson, T., & Graham, I. (2005). Jasmonic Acid Levels Are Reduced in COMATOSE ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter Mutants. Implications for Transport of Jasmonate Precursors into Peroxisomes. Plant Physiology, 137(3), 835-840.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.105.059352, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65484
Bonsegna, S., Slocombe, S., Bellis, L., & Baker, A. (2005). AtLACS7 interacts with the TPR domains of the PTS1 receptor PEX5. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 443(1-2), 74-81.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2005.09.003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65483

All Research

Journal Articles

Slocombe, S., Zúñiga-Burgos, T., Chu, L., Mehrshahi, P., Davey, M., Smith, A., Camargo-Valero, M., & Baker, A. (2023). Overexpression of PSR1 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii induces luxury phosphorus uptake. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1208168, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65453
Slocombe, S., Huete-Ortega, M., Kapoore, R., Okurowska, K., Mair, A., Day, J., Stanley, M., & Vaidyanathan, S. (2021). Enabling large-scale production of algal oil in continuous output mode. iScience, 24(7), 102743
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102743, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65455
Slocombe, S., Zúñiga-Burgos, T., Chu, L., Wood, N., Camargo-Valero, M., & Baker, A. (2020). Fixing the Broken Phosphorus Cycle: Wastewater Remediation by Microalgal Polyphosphates. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00982, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65471
Slocombe, S., Kapoore, R., Huete-Ortega, M., Day, J., Okurowska, K., Slocombe, S., Stanley, M., & Vaidyanathan, S. (2019). Effects of cryopreservation on viability and functional stability of an industrially relevant alga. Scientific Reports, 9(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-38588-6, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49792
Slocombe, S., Zhang, Q., Ross, M., Anderson, A., Thomas, N., Lapresa, Á., Rad-Menéndez, C., Campbell, C., Black, K., Stanley, M., & Day, J. (2015). Unlocking nature’s treasure-chest: screening for oleaginous algae. Scientific Reports, 5(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep09844, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65472
Slocombe, S., Zhang, Q., Black, K., Day, J., & Stanley, M. (2013). Comparison of screening methods for high-throughput determination of oil yields in micro-algal biofuel strains. Journal of Applied Phycology, 25(4), 961-972.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9947-5, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65473
Slocombe, S., Ross, M., Thomas, N., McNeill, S., & Stanley, M. (2013). A rapid and general method for measurement of protein in micro-algal biomass. Bioresource Technology, 129, 51-57.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.10.163, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65476
Roleda, M., Slocombe, S., Leakey, R., Day, J., Bell, E., & Stanley, M. (2013). Effects of temperature and nutrient regimes on biomass and lipid production by six oleaginous microalgae in batch culture employing a two-phase cultivation strategy. Bioresource Technology, 129, 439-449.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.11.043, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65475
Day, J., Slocombe, S., & Stanley, M. (2012). Overcoming biological constraints to enable the exploitation of microalgae for biofuels. Bioresource Technology, 109, 245-251.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.05.033, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65477
Slocombe, S., Cornah, J., Pinfield‐Wells, H., Soady, K., Zhang, Q., Gilday, A., Dyer, J., & Graham, I. (2009). Oil accumulation in leaves directed by modification of fatty acid breakdown and lipid synthesis pathways. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 7(7), 694-703.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2009.00435.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65478
Besser, K., Harper, A., Welsby, N., Schauvinhold, I., Slocombe, S., Li, Y., Dixon, R., & Broun, P. (2009). Divergent Regulation of Terpenoid Metabolism in the Trichomes of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Species. Plant Physiology, 149(1), 499-514.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.108.126276, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65490
Slocombe, S., Schauvinhold, I., McQuinn, R., Besser, K., Welsby, N., Harper, A., Aziz, N., Li, Y., Larson, T., Giovannoni, J., Dixon, R., & Broun, P. (2008). Transcriptomic and Reverse Genetic Analysesof Branched-Chain Fatty Acid and Acyl Sugar Production in Solanum pennellii and Nicotiana benthamiana. Plant Physiology, 148(4), 1830-1846.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.108.129510, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65480
Rylott, E., Eastmond, P., Gilday, A., Slocombe, S., Larson, T., Baker, A., & Graham, I. (2006). The Arabidopsis thaliana multifunctional protein gene (MFP2) of peroxisomal β-oxidation is essential for seedling establishment. The Plant Journal, 45(6), 930-941.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313x.2005.02650.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65482
Bonsegna, S., Slocombe, S., Bellis, L., & Baker, A. (2005). AtLACS7 interacts with the TPR domains of the PTS1 receptor PEX5. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 443(1-2), 74-81.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2005.09.003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65483
Theodoulou, F., Job, K., Slocombe, S., Footitt, S., Holdsworth, M., Baker, A., Larson, T., & Graham, I. (2005). Jasmonic Acid Levels Are Reduced in COMATOSE ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter Mutants. Implications for Transport of Jasmonate Precursors into Peroxisomes. Plant Physiology, 137(3), 835-840.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.105.059352, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65484
Slocombe, S., Beaudoin, F., Donaghy, P., Hardie, D., Dickinson, J., & Halford, N. (2004). SNF1-related protein kinase (SnRK1) phosphorylates class I heat shock protein. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 42(2), 111-116.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2003.11.009, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65485
Sparkes, I., Brandizzi, F., Slocombe, S., El-Shami, M., Hawes, C., & Baker, A. (2003). An Arabidopsis pex10 Null Mutant Is Embryo Lethal, Implicating Peroxisomes in an Essential Role during Plant Embryogenesis. Plant Physiology, 133(4), 1809-1819.
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.103.031252, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65486
Bhat, R., Riehl, M., Santandrea, G., Velasco, R., Slocombe, S., Donn, G., Steinbiss, H., Thompson, R., & Becker, H. (2003). Alteration of GCN5 levels in maize reveals dynamic responses to manipulating histone acetylation. The Plant Journal, 33(3), 455-469.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01642.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65491
Footitt, S. & Slocombe, S. (2002). Control of germination and lipid mobilization by COMATOSE, the Arabidopsis homologue of human ALDP. The EMBO Journal, 21(12), 2912-2922.
https://doi.org/10.1093/emboj/cdf300, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65487
Slocombe, S., Laurie, S., Bertini, L., Beaudoin, F., Dickinson, J., & Halford, N. (2002). Identification of SnIP1, a novel protein that interacts with SNF1-related protein kinase (SnRK1). Plant Molecular Biology, 49(1), 31-44.
https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1014464314113, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65488

Book Chapters

Slocombe, S., Zhang, Q., Ross, M., Stanley, M., & Day, J. (2016). Screening and Improvement of Marine Microalgae for Oil Production. In Stephen P. Slocombe, John R. Benemann (Ed.), Microalgal Production for Biomass and High-Value Products Edition 1st Edition (pp. 91-112). Taylor & Francis Group
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65489
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/b19464-4/screening-improvement-marine-microalgae-oil-production-stephen-slocombe-qianyi-zhang-michael-ross-michele-stanley-john-day?context=ubx&refId=d38553cd-a5aa-4692-8dbe-512a91233381

Other Research Outputs

Slocombe, S. (2016). Microalgal Production for Biomass and High-Value Products
https://doi.org/10.1201/b19464, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65474
Baker, A., Slocombe, S., & Graham, I. (2009). Regulation of peroxisomal fatty acid transport in plants
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65492
https://patents.google.com/patent/US7626079B2/en

Taught Modules

BIO104 Cellular & Microbial Biology

This module provides a broad introduction to fundamental concepts in cell biology, including the biochemistry and structure of the cell and cell diversity. Life is more abundant than what we can see with our eyes. Plants, animals and humans are a small minority among living organisms because there is no niche on earth which is not colonized by microbes (i.e., archaea, bacteria, fungi, protists, and viruses). As part of this module, you will learn that microbes were the first form of life on earth, support all kinds of life, and play a vital role in shaping the planet. Students will gain practical experience in handling and culturing microorganisms, microscopy and spectroscopy.
BIO340 Professional Laboratory Skills

Professional Laboratory Skills is a module that provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience of fundamental and advanced laboratory techniques in the broad area of biomolecular sciences. BIO340 consists of four intense laboratory sessions: two conducted in the wet-lab and two conducted in the computer lab. This blend of in vitro and in silico experimentation reflects the skills needed by modern biology graduates. Each session will have a theme: (1) protein biochemistry, (2) in silico structural manipulations, (3) PCR-techniques and gel electrophoresis, (4) Bioinformatics. Students will examine the structure-function relationship of a conserved, yet functionally diverse, family of proteins. Such proteins are found in plants, animals (including invertebrates) and microorganisms. [It should be noted that this module runs out of term time (usually early September), in a similar manner to residential field courses]

Key Grants and Projects

VISMO - Vision without motion – investigating the eyespot in non-motile algae 2023

, £204,032.69
EMPR - Exploring mechanisms of phosphate remediation in micro-algae 2024

, PhD Studentship (SURES)

Dr Steve Slocombe

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