Thom came to Edge Hill University after changing from a successful career in conservation ecology, working for organisations such as the Wildlife Trust, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Natural England. During this time Thom developed a reputation for designing and implementing successful landscape scale rewetting programmes on damaged wetlands in the North West of England. He has a PhD in Ecological Genetics and Vector Biology from Edge Hill University, where he developed a wide range of scientific techniques to detect species with disease vector potential, constructing DNA profiles of UK (and invasive) mosquitoes, as well as developing novel methods of egg detection. Thom is also proactive in evidence-based conservation biology and ecological genetics and is currently working closely with partners from Honduras (as well as EHU) on research surrounding the ecology and taxonomy of tropical fern species. He is also developing research in tropical ecology and conservation in Papua New Guinea, and the conservation genomics of the Tenerife Speckled lizard (Gallotia intermedia). The aim of his research is to better understand the ecology and biodiversity of tropical regions, and to inform local communities, governments, and NGOs on appropriate strategies for the conservation of regional biodiversity.

Thom holds an Honorary Researcher position at Liverpool World Museum, and an Honorary Academic position with the UK Health Security Agency (HSE), where he part of a collaboration to coordinate the surveillance of 56 Ports and Airports across the UK, as well as developing new genetics-based approaches to improve early detection of potentially invasive disease vectors, such as the Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Thom is also working closely with HSE to investigate the ecology and genetics of the mosquitoes in the UK overseas territories, as well as studying the population genetics of British native mosquitoes, investigating their movements, and unlocking the mysteries surrounding historical colonisation events. 

Thom has been a Chair of the British Ecological Society’s Ecological Genetics Special Interest Group (EGG) for the past 5 years, and is a keen promoter of the use of genetic tools in nature conservation policy decision making.

• Ecological genetics
• Disease vector surveillance
• Tropical canopy ecology
• Taxonomy
• Evidence based conservation practices
• Development of DNA based tools in ecology
• Conservation biology and strategy

• Ecology
• Biodiversity
• Planning and Legislation
• Invertebrate Ecology
• Applications of Genetics
• Research Methods in Biology
• Biology Research Project
• Restoration Ecology
• Conservation Placements
• Visualising science
• Wildlife conservation