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Ailsa Hall

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Ailsa Jane Hall
OBE
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of St Andrews
ThesisThe health of post mortem workers : a morbidity and mortality study (1989)

Ailsa Jane Hall OBE is a British researcher who is Director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St Andrews. Her research considers the impact of contaminants on the risk of mortality in marine mammals.

Early life and education

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In 1985, Hall joined the University of Birmingham Institute of Occupational Health.[1] Her early research considered the microbial health risks of post mortem technicians. This work, which informed the Code of Practise for the Department of Health and Social Care, formed the basis of her doctoral research.[2][3]

Research and career

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In 1989, Hall joined the Sea Mammal Research Unit. At the time, the Unit was based in Cambridge, and Hall joined as an epidemiologist.[3] She investigated an outbreak of phocine distemper amongst harbour seals. She moved to the University of St Andrews in 1996, where she worked on the immune response of seals.[3] She showed that polychlorinated biphenyl contributed to the mortality of harbour seals in the North Sea.[1][4][5] Whilst PCBs[6] were banned in the late 1970s due to toxicity, they continue to be in circulation, and are able to resist extreme heat.[5][7]

Hall investigates the impact of pathogens and contaminants on the health of marine mammals. She is interested in how contaminants and pathogens impact the early survival of animals.[8] Hall focussed her efforts on improving biodiversity in the ocean.[9] She studied the impact of climate change on populations of humpback whales, showing a significant drop in breeding successes in the wild.[10]

Hall was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to environmental protection and epidemiology.[11][9]

Selected publications

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Scholia has a profile for Ailsa J. Hall (Q56424648).
  • Tero Härkönen; Rune Dietz; Peter Reijnders; et al. (1 January 2006). "The 1988 and 2002 phocine distemper virus epidemics in European harbour seals". Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 68 (2): 115–130. doi:10.3354/DAO068115. ISSN 0177-5103. PMID 16532603. Wikidata Q33236217.
  • Gina M Ylitalo; John E Stein; Tom Hom; et al. (1 January 2005). "The role of organochlorines in cancer-associated mortality in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus)". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 50 (1): 30–39. doi:10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2004.08.005. ISSN 0025-326X. PMID 15664031. Wikidata Q44635779.
  • A J Hall; R J Law; D E Wells; et al. (1 April 1992). "Organochlorine levels in common seals (Phoca vitulina) which were victims and survivors of the 1988 phocine distemper epizootic". Science of the Total Environment. 115 (1–2): 145–162. doi:10.1016/0048-9697(92)90039-U. ISSN 0048-9697. PMID 1594930. Wikidata Q46036848.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ailsa Hall". SOI Group. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  2. ^ Hall, Ailsa Jane (1989). The health of post mortem workers: a morbidity and mortality study (Thesis). OCLC 911142869.
  3. ^ a b c Principal. "Inaugural Lecture and Reception: Professor Ailsa Hall, School of Biology". events.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  4. ^ Yong, Ed (2018-09-27). "The Lingering Curse That's Killing Killer Whales". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  5. ^ a b "Seal pups poisoned by chemicals in mothers' milk". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  6. ^ Kershaw, Joanna L.; Hall, Ailsa J. (2016-02-24). "Seasonal variation in harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) blubber cortisol - A novel indicator of physiological state?". Scientific Reports. 6 (1): 21889. Bibcode:2016NatSR...621889K. doi:10.1038/srep21889. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 4764809. PMID 26906193.
  7. ^ "Baby seals drinking milk contaminated by toxic chemicals from ocean, study reveals". The Independent. 2018-12-17. Archived from the original on 2021-10-13. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  8. ^ "Ailsa Jane Hall - University of St Andrews". risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  9. ^ a b Milne, Scott. "New Year Honours: St Andrews professors recognised for environmental work". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  10. ^ "Whale warning as Scots scientists reveal climate change impact on breeding". The National. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  11. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N12.
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