Academic qualifications

• B.A., Zoology, University of Cambridge, 1985
• Ph.D., Zoology, University of Aberdeen, 1990

Research interests

• Systematics and ecology of venomous snakes
• Causes and correlates of snake venom evolution
• Variation in venom composition and its effect on snakebite treatment
• Neotropical biogeography

Some recent publications

• WÜSTER, W., A.J. DUMBRELL, C. HAY, C.E. POOK, D.J. WILLIAMS & B.G.FRY (2005) Snakes across the Strait: Trans-Torresian phylogeographic relationships in three genera of Australasian snakes (Serpentes: Elapidae: Acanthophis, Oxyuranus and Pseudechis). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34(1): 1-14.
• WÜSTER, W. C.S.E. ALLUM, I.B. BJARGARDÓTTIR, K.L. BAILEY, K.J. DAWSON, J. GUENIOUI, J. LEWIS, J. MCGURK, A.G. MOORE, M. NISKANEN & C.P. POLLARD (2004) Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Biological Sciences 271(1556): 2495 - 2499.
  
• FRY, B.G. & W. WÜSTER (2004) Assembling an arsenal: origin and evolution of the snake venom proteome inferred from phylogenetic analysis of toxin sequences. Molecular Biology and Evolution 21(5): 870–883.
  
• WÜSTER, W. & D.G. BROADLEY (2003) A new species of spitting cobra from northeastern Africa (Serpentes: Elapidae: Naja). Journal of Zoology 259: 345-359.
• HARRISON, R.A., W. WÜSTER & R.D.G. THEAKSTON (2003) The conserved structure of snake venom toxins confers extensive immunological cross-reactivity to toxin-specific antibody. Toxicon 41: 441-449.
• PUORTO, G., M.G. SALOMÃO, R.D.G. THEAKSTON, R.S. THORPE, D.A. WARRELL & W. WÜSTER (2001) Combining mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological data to infer species boundaries: phylogeography of lanceheaded pitvipers in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, and the status of Bothrops pradoi (Squamata: Serpentes: Viperidae). Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 14: 527-538.
• POOK, C.E., W. WÜSTER & R.S. THORPE (2000) Historical biogeography of the western rattlesnake (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalus viridis), inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence information. Molecular  Phylogenetics and Evolution, 15: 269-282.
• THORPE, R.S., A. MALHOTRA & W. WÜSTER, Eds. (1997) Venomous Snakes: Ecology, Evolution and Snakebite. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
• DALTRY, J.C., W. WÜSTER & R.S. THORPE (1996) Diet and snake venom evolution. Nature, 379: 537-540.

Positions

• Since 1999: Lecturer in Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
• 1995-1999: Wellcome Research Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
• 1994-1995: Postodoctoral researcher, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
• 1990-1994: Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Responsibilities

• Scientific Editor of The Herpetological Journal, the scientific publication of the British Herpetological Society
• Member of Conservation Committee, Fauna & Flora International
• Grant reviewer for NERC (UK), ARC (Australia), NSF (USA), Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Austria), National Geographic Society (USA)
• Reviewer of papers for Proceedings of the Royal Society (London), Molecular Ecology, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Transactions of the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Toxicon, Journal of Zoology (London), Canadian Journal of Zoology, Herpetologica, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Amphibia-Reptilia, Zootaxa, Dumerilia, African Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review and Herpetological Journal.
• PhD Examiner, Copenhagen (1998), Paris (2000)
  

Fieldwork  

Past fieldwork in UK, Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, USA, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guyana, Brazil, Ecuador.