Staff Profile

I am an applied scientist with expertise in apiculture, bee health, plant pathology, modelling and diagnostics. I am interested in tackling complex, real-world problems facing government and industry. I believe that the most exciting advances in understanding are made at the disciplinary interfaces, and so am passionate about bringing together multidisciplinary teams to deliver interdisciplinary science, and have led many large collaborative projects. I am a competent science communicator and I enjoy developing training materials for end-users, teaching and supervising students. I also have experience of providing science leadership and expert evidence to inform policy reviews. I am a member of the Modelling Evidence and policy Research Group within the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (see https://www.ncl.ac.uk/nes/our-research/biology/modelling-evidence-policy/).

I am interested in studying emerging infectious diseases and invasive pests to inform surveillance, detection, and mitigation strategies. I also combine molecular and modelling methods to understanding disease transmission across multiple spatial scales, and use these outputs to help optimise biosecurity and management methods. I try to consider practicalities such as costs and resource management to ensure management protocols are efficient and sustainable. External partnerships are key to all my work and I work very closely with government and industry. For a recent list of my publications please see (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ujbju80AAAAJ&hl=en).

NES2310 - Insect Biology and Origins

I am module leader and enjoy teaching on this module where students learn about the biology and ecology of insects. We also cover other arthropods to provide phylogenetic context with insects. Our teaching provides the foundations necessary to enable students to work with insects later in their degree programmes and beyond. Contents include: morphology, metamorphosis, classification, food and feeding, respiratory and circulatory physiology, nervous and hormonal control, polymorphism, sociality, insects and man. Practical exercises emphasise features of insect ecology, morphological structure, and behaviour, whilst enhancing essential skills in data recording and scientific report writing. For more information on this module see (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/mobility/newcastle/study-abroad/NES2310).

NES1000 - Crop Pests

I originally provided the entomological content to this module, but I now provide an introduction to plant pathology. We introduce students to the significance, biology, and diversity of crop pests, how they cause damage, and the principles of their control. The module provides a study of the major insect, fungal and weed pests which affect crop production. The biology, life-cycle and principles of control of these pests via chemical and other means are evaluated. My approach is to help students understand the fundamental biology of each crop pests before attempting to deploy control measures! For more information on this module see (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/mobility/newcastle/study-abroad/NES1000).

NES1504 - Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences

I teach students core skills in biosciences to include how to design effective scientific posters, how to collate and analyse data, and how to prepare a good cv for later employment! For more information on this module see (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/mobility/newcastle/study-abroad/NES1504).

• Articles

  • Gill MC, Chuttong B, Davies P, Etheridge D, Panyaraksa L, Tomkies V, Tonge G, Budge GE. Assessment of the efficacy of field and laboratory methods for the detection of Tropilaelaps spp. PLoS ONE 2024, 19(9), e0301880.
  • Grossar D, Haynes E, Budge GE, Parejo M, Gauthier L, Charriere J-D, Chapuisat M, Dietemann V. Population genetic diversity and dynamics of the honey bee brood pathogen Melissococcus plutonius in a region with high prevalence. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2023, 196, 107867.
  • Woodford L, Christie CR, Campbell EM, Budge GE, Bowman AS, Evans DJ. Quantitative and Qualitative Changes in the Deformed Wing Virus Population in Honey Bees Associated with the Introduction or Removal of Varroa destructor. Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1597.
  • Gillespie MAK, Baude M, Biesmeijer J, Boatman N, Budge GE, Crowe A, Davies N, Evans R, Memmott J, Morton RD, Moss E, Murphy M, Pietravalle S, Potts SG, Roberts SPM, Rowland C, Senapathi D, Smart SM, Wood C, Kunin WE. Landscape-scale drivers of pollinator communities may depend on land-use configuration. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 2022, 377(1853), 20210172.
  • Rowland BW, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Brown MA, Budge GE. Identifying the climatic drivers of honey bee disease in England and Wales. Scientific Reports 2021, 11(1), 21953.
  • Budge GE, Simcock NK, Holder PJ, Shirley MDF, Brown MA, Van Weymers PSM, Evans DJ, Rushton SP. Chronic bee paralysis as a serious emerging threat to honey bees. Nature Communications 2020, 11, 2164.
  • Stainton K, Hall J, Budge GE, Boonham N, Hodgetts J. Rapid molecular methods for in-field and laboratory identification of the yellow-legged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax). Journal of Applied Entomology 2018, 142(6), 610-616.
  • Mwebaze P, Marris GC, Brown M, MacLeod A, Jones G, Budge GE. Measuring public perception and preferences for ecosystem services: A case study of bee pollination in the UK. Land Use Policy 2018, 71, 355-362.
  • Regan T, Barnett MW, Laetsch DR, Bush SJ, Wragg D, Budge GE, Highet F, Dainat B, de Miranda JR, Watson M, Blaxter M, Freeman TC. Characterisation of the British honey bee metagenome. Nature Communications 2018, 9, 4995.
  • Chan D, Macarthur R, Fussell RJ, Wilford J, Budge G. Variability of residue concentrations of ciprofloxacin in honey from treated hives. Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment 2017, 34(4), 552-561.
  • Budge GE, Hodgetts J, Jones EP, Ostoja-Starzewski JC, Hall J, Tomkies V, Semmence N, Brown M, Wakefield M, Stainton K. The invasion, provenance and diversity of Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Great Britain. PLoS ONE 2017, 12(9), e0185172.
  • Keeling MJ, Franklin DN, Datta S, Brown MA, Budge GE. Predicting the spread of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) following its incursion into Great Britain. Scientific Reports 2017, 7(1), 6240.
  • Martín-Hernández R, Higes M, Sagastume S, Juarranz Á, Dias-Almeida J, Budge GE, Meana A, Boonham N. Microsporidia infection impacts the host cells cycle and reduces cell apoptosis. PLoS ONE 2017, 12(2), e0170183.
  • Franklin DN, Brown MA, Datta S, Cuthbertson AGS, Budge GE, Keeling MJ. Invasion dynamics of Asian hornet, Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): a case study of a commune in south-west France. Applied Entomology and Zoology 2017, 52(2), 221-229.
  • Keeling MJ, Datta S, Franklin DN, Flatman I, Wattam A, Brown M, Budge GE. Efficient use of sentinel sites: Detection of invasive honeybee pests and diseases in the UK. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 2017, 14, 20160908.
  • Jacques A, Laurent M, Ribiere-Chabert M, Saussac M, Bougeard S, Budge GE, Hendrikx P, Chauzat M-P. A pan-European epidemiological study reveals honey bee colony survival depends on beekeeper education and disease control. PLoS ONE 2017, 12(3), e0172591.
  • Gillespie MAK, Baude M, Biesmeijer J, Boatman N, Budge GE, Crowe A, Memmott J, Morton RD, Pietravalle S, Potts SG, Senapathi D, Smart SM, Kunin WE. A method for the objective selection of landscape-scale study regions and sites at the national level. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2017, 8(11), 1468-1476.
  • Campbell EM, Budge GE, Watkins M, Bowman AS. Transcriptome analysis of the synganglion from the honey bee mite, Varroa destructor and RNAi knockdown of neural peptide targets. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2016, 70, 116-126.
  • Budge GE, Adams I, Thwaites R, Pietravalle S, Drew GC, Hurst GDD, Tomkies V, Boonham N, Brown M. Identifying bacterial predictors of honey bee health. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2016, 141, 41-44.
  • Delmiglio C, Fan QH, George S, Ward L, Budge G, Flynn A, Kumarasinghe L. Development and evaluation of a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Acarapis woodi (tracheal mites) in Apis mellifera. Apidologie 2016, 47(5), 691-702.
  • Budge GE, Pietravalle S, Brown M, Laurenson L, Jones B, Tomkies V, Delaplane KS. Pathogens as predictors of honey bee colony strength in England and Wales. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(7), e0133228.
  • Delaplane KS, Pietravalle S, Brown MA, Budge GE. Honey Bee Colonies Headed by Hyperpolyandrous Queens Have Improved Brood Rearing Efficiency and Lower Infestation Rates of Parasitic Varroa Mites. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(12), e0142985.
  • Budge GE, Garthwaite D, Crowe A, Boatman ND, Delaplane KS, Brown MA, Thygesen HH, Pietravalle S. Evidence for pollinator cost and farming benefits of neonicotinoid seed coatings on oilseed rape. Scientific Reports 2015, 5, 12574.
  • Morrissey BJ, Helgason T, Poppinga L, Funfhaus A, Genersch E, Budge GE. Biogeography of Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood, using a new multilocus sequence typing scheme. Environmental Microbiology 2015, 17(4), 1414-1424.
  • Thompson CE, Biesmeijer JC, Allnutt TR, Pietravalle S, Budge GE. Parasite pressures on feral honey bees (Apis mellifera sp.). PLoS ONE 2014, 9(8), e105164.
  • Budge GE, Shirley MDF, Jones B, Quill E, Tomkies V, Feil EJ, Brown MA, Haynes EG. Molecular epidemiology and population structure of the honey bee brood pathogen Melissococcus plutonius. ISME Journal 2014, 8(8), 1588-1597.
  • Mill AC, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Smith GC, Mason P, Brown MA, Budge GE. Clustering, persistence and control of a pollinator brood disease: epidemiology of American foulbrood. Environmental Microbiology 2014, 16(12), 3753-3763.
  • Cuthbertson AGS, Wakefield ME, Powell ME, Marris G, Anderson H, Budge GE, Mathers JJ, Blackburn LF, Brown MA. The small hive beetle Aethina tumida: A review of its biology and control measures. Current Zoology 2013, 59(5), 644–653.
  • DeMiranda JR, Bailey L, Ball BV, Blanchard P, Budge G, Chejanovsky N, Chen Y-P, Gauthier L, Genersch E, DeGraaf D, Ribière M, Ryabov E, DeSmet L, VanDerSteen JJM. Standard methods for virus research in Apis mellifera. Journal of Apicultural Research 2013, 52(4).
  • Evans JD, Schwarz RS, Chen YP, Budge G, Cornman RS, DeLaRua P, DeMiranda JR, Foret S, Foster L, Gauthier L, Genersch E, Gisder S, Jarosch A, Kucharski R, Lopez D, Lun CM, Moritz RFA, Maleszka R, Muñoz I, Pinto MA. Standard methods for molecular research in Apis mellifera. Journal of Apicultural Research 2013, 52(4).
  • Forsgren E, Budge GE, Charrière J-D, Hornitzky MAZ. Standard methods for European foulbrood research. Journal of Apicultural Research 2013, 52(1).
  • deGraaf DC, Alippi AM, Antúnez K, Aronstein KA, Budge G, DeKoker D, DeSmet L, Dingman DW, Evans JD, Foster LJ, Fünfhaus A, GarciaGonzalez E, Gregore A, Human A, Murray KD, Nguyen BK, Poppinga L, Spivak M, vanEngelsdorp D, Wilkins S, Genersch E. Standard methods for American foulbrood researchMétodos para la investigación de la loque americana. Journal of Apicultural Research 2013, 52(1).
  • Polce C, Termansen M, Aguirre-Gutiérrez J, Boatman ND, Budge GE, Crowe A, Garratt MP, Pietravalle S, Potts SG, Ramirez JA, Somerwill KE, Biesmeijer JC. Species distribution models for crop pollination: a modelling framework applied to Great Britain. PLoS ONE 2013, 8(10), e76308.
  • Datta S, Bull JC, Budge GE, Keeling MJ. Modelling the spread of American foulbrood in honeybees. J R Soc Interface 2013, 10(88).
  • Haynes E, Helgason T, Young JP, Thwaites R, Budge GE. A typing scheme for the honeybee pathogen Melissococcus plutonius allows detection of disease transmission events and a study of the distribution of variants. Environmental Microbiology Reports 2013, 5(4), 525–529.
  • Evison SEF, Roberts KE, Laurenson L, Pietravalle S, Hui J, Biesmeijer JC, Smith JE, Budge G, Hughes WOH. Pervasiveness of Parasites in Pollinators. PLoS ONE 2012, 7(1).
  • Martin SJ, Highfield AC, Brettell L, Villalobos EM, Budge GE, Powell M, Nikaido S, Schroeder DC. Global honey bee viral landscape altered by a parasitic mite. Science 2012, 336(6086), 1304-6.
  • Woodhall JW, Webb KM, Giltrap PM, Adams IP, Peters JC, Budge GE, Boonham N. A new large scale soil DNA extraction procedure and real-time PCR assay for the detection of Sclerotium cepivorum in soil. European Journal of Plant Pathology 2012, 134(3), 467-473.
  • Glover RH, Adams IP, Budge G, Wilkins S, Boonham N. Detection of honey bee (Apis mellifera) viruses with an oligonucleotide microarray. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2011, 107(3), 216-219.
  • Budge GE, Barrett B, Jones B, Pietravalle S, Marris G, Chantawannakul P, Thwaites R, Hall J, Cuthbertson AG, Brown MA. The occurrence of Melissococcus plutonius in healthy colonies of Apis mellifera and the efficacy of European foulbrood control measures. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2010, 105(2), 164-170.
  • deMiranda JR, Cordoni G, Budge G. The Acute bee paralysis virus-Kashmir bee virus-Israeli acute paralysis virus complex. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2010, 103, S30-S47.
  • Bacandritsos N, Granato A, Budge G, Papanastasiou I, Roinioti E, Caldon M, Falcaro C, Gallina A, Mutinelli F. Sudden deaths and colony population decline in Greek honey bee colonies. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2010, 105, 335-340.
  • deMiranda JR, Dainat B, Locke B, Cordoni G, Berthoud H, Gauthier L, Neumann P, Budge GE, Ball BV, Stoltz DB. Genetic characterization of slow bee paralysis virus of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). Journal of General Virology 2010, 91, 2524-30.
  • Campbell EM, Budge GE, Bowman AS. Gene-knockdown in the honey bee mite Varroa destructor by a non-invasive approach: studies on a glutathione S-transferase. Parasites & Vectors 2010, 3(73).
  • Kajobe R, Marris G, Budge G, Laurenson L, Cordoni G, Jones B, Wilkins S, Cuthbertson AGS, Brown MA. First molecular detection of a viral pathogen in Ugandan honey bees. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 2010, 104(2), 153–156.
  • Budge GE, Shaw MW, Colyer A, Pietravalle S, Boonham N. Molecular tools to investigate Rhizoctonia solani distribution in soil. Plant Pathology 2009, 58(6), 1071-1080.
  • Noble R, Elphinstone JG, Sansford CE, Budge GE, Henry CM. Management of plant health risks associated with processing of plant-based wastes: a review. Bioresource technology 2009, 100(14), 3431-46.
  • Garrido C, Carbu M, Fernandez-Acero FJ, Boonham N, Colyer A, Cantoral JM, Budge G. Development of protocols for detection of Colletotrichum acutatum and monitoring of strawberry anthracnose using real-time PCR. Plant Pathology 2009, 58(1), 43-51.
  • Tomkies V, Flint J, Johnson G, Waite R, Wilkins S, Danks C, Watkins M, Cuthbertson AGS, Carpana E, Marris G, Budge G, Brown MA. Development and validation of a novel field test kit for European foulbrood. Apidologie 2009, 40(1), 63-72.
  • Budge GE, Shaw MW, Lambourne C, Jennings P, Clayburn R, Boonham N, McPherson M. Characterization and origin of infection of Rhizoctonia solani associated with Brassica oleracea crops in the UK. Plant Pathology 2009, 58(6), 1059-1070.
  • Budge GE, Loram J, Donovan G, Boonham N. RNA2 of Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus is detectable in plants of winter wheat grown from infected seeds. European Journal of Plant Pathology 2008, 120(1), 97-102.
  • Budge GE, Ratti C, Rubies-Autonell C, Lockley D, Bonnefoy M, Vallega V, Pietravalle S, Henry CM. Response of UK winter wheat cultivars to Soil-borne cereal mosaic and Wheat spindle streak mosaic virusesacross Europe. European Journal of Plant Pathology 2008, 120(3), 259–272.
  • Garrido C, Carbú M, Fernández-Acero FJ, Budge G, Vallejo I, Colyer A, Cantoral JM. Isolation and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum spp. causing anthracnose of strawberry in south west Spain. European Journal of Plant Pathology 2008, 120(4), 409–415.
  • Ward L, Koenig R, Budge G, Garrido C, McGrath C, Stubbley H, Boonham N. Occurrence of two different types of RNA-5-containing beet necrotic yellow vein virus in the UK. Archives of Virology 2007, 152(1), 59-73.
  • Gil-Salas FM, Morris J, Colyer A, Budge G, Boonham N, Cuadrado IM, Janssen D. Development of real-time RT-PCR assays for the detection of Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV) and Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) in the whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci. Journal of Virological Methods 2007, 146(1-2), 45-51.
  • Ratti C, Budge G, Ward L, Clover G, Rubies-Autonell C, Henry C. Detection and relative quantitation of Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV) and Polymyxa graminis in winter wheat using real-time PCR (TaqMan (R)). Journal of Virological Methods 2004, 122(1), 95-103.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Mill AC, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Smith GC, Mason P, Brown MA, Budge GE, Sandhutton UK. Spatial point process models to determine clustering of American Foulbrook in UK Honeybees. In: International Statistical Ecology Conference. 2014, Montpellier, France: ISEC.
  • Gil-Salas FM, Morris J, Cuadrado IM, Budge G, Colyer A, Boonham N, Janssen D. Risk assessment procedure for Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus (CVYV) and Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus (CYSDV) using a real time RT-PCR assay - study of virus levels in the vector Bemisia tabaci. In: International Symposium on Vegetable Production, Quality and Process Standardization in Chain: a Worldwide Perspective. 2008, Beijing, China: International Society for Horticultural Science.
  • O'Neill TM, Budge G, Shepherd A, Ratcliffe T. Evaluation of a combined dazomet and metam-sodium treatment for pre-plant soil fumigation. In: The VIth International Symposium on Chemical and Non-Chemical Soil and Substrate Disinfestation. 2005, Acta Horticulturae.

• Review

  • Budge GE, Burns N, Takamatsu D, Erler S, Forsgren E, Grossar D, Hornitzky M, Milbrath M, Pufal H, Tomkies V, Wood S, Yordanova M, Charriere J-D. Standard methods for European foulbrood research 2.0. Journal of Apicultural Research 2024, epub ahead of print.