Position: Principal Investigator

Address: Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College - UHI,
Castle Street, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7JD

Tel: +44 (0) 1847 889 586

Fax: +44 (0)1847 890 014

E-mail: Simon.Thain@thurso.uhi.ac.uk

Joined ERI: August 2006

Background

• First Degree Biology, Stirling University.

• MSc, Biochemistry & Genetics, Newcastle University.

• PhD, Plant Circadian Clock Systems, Warwick University.

• Postdoctoral research, Dundee University.

• Postdoctoral researcher, Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research (IGER)

Research Interests

• Metabolomics

• Environmental and Medical Biomarker discovery.

• Plant Biomass as a renewable energy source.

• Chemometrics and Analytical Spectroscopy.

Selected Publications

•S.C. Thain, P. Robson, L.Mur, J.Wilson. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 2007, Vol 146A, 4, S268-S296 Cellular metabolomic chemical imaging for fingerprinting and targeted analysis: the application of focal plane array Fourier-transform infrared microscopy to study plant development.

•Prediction of Klason lignin and lignin thermal degradation products by Py-GC/MS in a collection of Lolium and Festuca grasses Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 2007. Vol 80, 1, 16-23 R. Fahmi, A.V. Bridgwater, S.C. Thain, N. Yates, I.S. Donnison.

•R. Fahmi, A.V. Bridgwater, L.I. Darvell, J.M. Jones, N. Yates, S.C. Thain and I.S. Donnison. The effect of alkali metals on combustion and pyrolysis of  Lolium , Festuca pratensis, switchgrass and willow Volume 86, Issues 10-11, 2007, Pages 1560-1569

•T. G. Bridgeman, L. I. Darvell, J. M. Jones, P. T. Williams, R. Fahmi, A.V. Bridgwater T. Barraclough, I. Shield, N. Yates, S. C. Thain and I. S. Donnison. Influence of particle size on the analytical and chemical properties of two energy crops. FUEL January 2007, Pages 60-72.

•Claire Halpin, Simon C. Thain, Emma L. Tilston, Emma Guiney, Catherine Lapierre and David W. Hopkins. Ecological impacts of trees with modified lignin. Tree Genetics and Genomics ISSN (Online)1614-2950 (Online).

•Thain, S. C., Morris P., Hawkins S., Morris C., Donnison I.S. Screening of perennial grasses and a mutant maize collection by Fourier-Transform Infra Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy for improved biofuel Traits. In: Molecular breeding for the genetic improvement of forage crops and turf. Ed: Humphreys, M. O., 2005 p173 Wageningen Academic Publishers.

•Thain, S. C. Vandenbussche, F. Laarhoven, L. J. J. Dowson-Day, M. J. Wang, Z. Y. Tobin, E. M. Harren, F. J. M. Millar, A. J. Straeten D. van der Circadian rhythms of ethylene emission in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 2004. 136: 3, 3751-3761.

•Thain, S. C. Murtas, G. Lynn, J. R. McGrath, R. B. Millar, A. J. The circadian clock that controls gene expression in Arabidopsis is tissue specific. Plant Physiol 2002. 130: 1, 102-110.

Studentships

• PhD (current) “Developing biomarkers protocols to asses the impact of environmental change and genetic diversity on organism and cellular responses.” – Ms Sabine Freitag)

•MSc (current) “Development of a biochemical screening method for the chemical specification of plant biomass crops”. – Dr Teresa Garzon

• MSc (current) “Fertiliser value of anaerobic digestate” Mr Colin Risbridger

Other Info:
Current analytical techniques available – LC-MS; GC-MS, Pyrolysis-MS, HPLC; Chemometrics and Multivaraite statistical analysis.