I am an ecological entomologist interested in studying inter-specific interactions using molecular techniques. My main scientific goal is to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these interactions, particularly under the lens of nutrition. 

For more information, please visit my Twitter, ResearchGate Publons or LinkedIn.

Brief CV:

• 2021-present: Newcastle University, Postdoctoral Research Associate, "Stacking of ecosystem services: mechanisms and interactions for optimal crop protection, pollination enhancement, and productivity (EcoStack)" with Prof Darren Evans, funded by EU H2020.
• 2021: Cardiff University, Postdoctoral Research Associate, "Metagenomic and metaviromic monitoring of SARS-CoV2 in wastewater" with Prof Peter Kille and Prof Andrew Weightman, funded by Ser Cymru.
• 2020-2021: Cardiff University, Postdoctoral Research Associate, "Defining a standard operating procedure for portable molecular ecological analyses using nanopore sequencing" with Prof Peter Kille, funded by Global Challenges Research Fund.
• 2016-2020: Cardiff University, PhD, "Nutrient-specific foraging and the role of spiders as biocontrol agents" with Prof William Symondson, Dr Carsten Muller, Dr Ian Vaughan, Dr James Bell and Dr Pablo Orozco-terWengel, funded by BBSRC SWBio DTP.
• 2017-2018: National Museum Wales, Biodiversity Collections Assistant, with Dr Ben Rowson.
• 2015-2016: Cardiff University, MRes Biosciences, "Invertebrate communities of wood decay in beech (Fagus sylvatica) trunks" with Dr Hefin Jones and Prof Lynne Boddy.
• 2011-2014: Cardiff University, BSc Biology.

Other Activities:

• BBSRC People and Talent Strategy Advisory Panel Researcher Subgroup member (2022-present)
• School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Athena Swan Self Assessment Team Core Group member (2022-present)
• Editorial Board Member, Agricultural and Forest Entomology (2021-present)
• Invertebrate Biodiversity Advisor, Frozen Ark (2019-present)
• British Arachnological Society Surveys Coordinator (2020)
• Cardiff Science Cafe/Innovation in Isolation Coordinator (2016-2020)

Society Memberships:

• Royal Entomological Society
• British Arachnological Society
• British Ecological Society
• Entomological Society of America
• Genetics Society
• Verrall Association of Entomologists

My primary research applies state-of-the-art molecular methods to fundamental ecological hypotheses, mostly in an applied context. I am particularly interested in using these methods to investigate the mechanisms underlying trophic interactions. My broader research encompasses the following fields: molecular ecology, trophic ecology, field entomology, nutritional ecology, community ecology and natural history.

Here are a few key papers:

Cuff, J.P., Windsor, F.M., Tercel, M.P.T.G., Kitson, J.J.N. & Evans, D.M. (2021) Overcoming the pitfalls of merging dietary metabarcoding into ecological networks. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 13(3): 545-559.

Cuff, J.P., Tercel, M.P.T.G., Drake, L.E., Vaughan, I.P., Bell, J.R., Orozco-terWengel, P., Müller, C.T. & Symondson, W.O.C. (2021) Density-independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops. Environmental DNA.

Cuff, J.P., Wilder, S.M., Tercel, M.P.T.G., Hunt, R., Oluwaseun, S., Morley, P.S., Badell-Grau, R.A., Vaughan, I.P., Bell, J.R., Orozco-terWengel, P., Symondson, W.O.C. & Müller, C.T. (2021) MEDI: Macronutrient Extraction and Determination from invertebrates, a rapid, cheap and streamlined protocol. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 12(4): 593-601.