Professor Ivor Mason

Our research has focused upon understanding how signalling events sculpt the developing vertebrate embryo with particular emphasis on the nervous system. Within that field we are best known for our work on the fibroblast growth factor family of secreted signalling proteins. We use mouse, chicken and zebrafish as model organisms in our studies. Our major current interest is understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the human neurodevelopmental disorder, Kallmann Syndrome, which is characterised by sterility and lack of a sense of smell (anosmia). My teaching encompasses developmental biology, neurobiology, cell and molecular biology, genetics and microanatomy/histology and I have expertise in online approaches to teaching including virtual microscopy. I am currently developing a new undergraduate module in Communication of Science. I hold a PLuS Alliance Fellowship to develop the Communication module in collaboration with University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Arizona State University. My online teaching and the virtual microscopy platform is a collaboration with the international BEST Network of universities. I am also a freelance journalist and contributor to The i UK national newspaper and have contributed to science, news, media, sports and arts sections of the paper. Some of my articles are available online at https://inews.co.uk/author/ivor-mason/