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Mr. Mark Bastian
Assistant Curator I / Lecturer I
Department of Biology
Email
mark.bastian@uog.edu.gy
Office Number
Upper Flat, Center for the Study of Biological Diversity

Education:

  • BSc. (2015), Biology, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, Guyana
  • MSc. (2023), Forest Biology, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, Guyana
  • Ph.D. (In progress), Biodiversity, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, Guyana (in collaboration with Western University, Ontario, Canada)

Biography

Mark Bastian is a herpetologist, curator, and researcher at the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity (CSBD) at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus. His work integrates biodiversity documentation, ecological monitoring, education, and conservation practice, with a particular emphasis on amphibians and other herpetofauna as bioindicators of ecosystem health
in tropical ecosystems.

His research explores herpetofauna as bioindicators, examining their species composition, community structure, and ecological roles in tropical ecosystems. He also investigates how disturbance ecology shapes host–pathogen interactions of amphibians, focusing on how artisanal and small–scale gold mining (ASGM) influences the dynamics between amphibians and pathogens such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This approach highlights the ways environmental stressors alter immune function, disease susceptibility, and resilience within amphibian populations.

Through his combined roles as curator and researcher, Mr. Bastian contributes to advancing ecological knowledge, strengthening conservation efforts, and fostering a deeper understanding of Guyana’s rich herpetofaunal diversity.

Teaching:

  • BIO3115: Herpetology
  • BIO3211: Biometry and Biostatistics
  • BIO4112: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
  • BIO4200: Capstone Research Project
  • BIO4205: Internship

Selected Publications:

Grants/Fellowships/Awards

  • King’s Commonwealth Fellowship 2025