School of Life Sciences

University of Dundee

Dr. Graeme Ball

Position: 
Image Analysis Specialist
Address: 
Dundee Imaging Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5HN
Full Telephone: 
+44 (0) 1382 385741, int ext 85741
Email: 

Research

I am a scientific officer specialising in image data processing and analysis for the life sciences ("Bioimage Informatics"): this is a relatively new field in computational biology, with links to the more mature disciplines of medical image processing and bioinformatics. I am working as the image analyst supporting the Dundee Imaging Facility. 

In the past I have worked on problems involving image restoration, tracking, quantification, statistics, automation, and the processing of superresolution data. This has involved using a mix of open source tools (e.g. Fiji/ImageJ, OMERO, CellProfiler, R) and commercial ones (Imaris and Volocity in particular); as well as a variety of programming languages (especially MATLAB, java and python). In addition to giving advice about image analysis, help with software, and teaching, I also develop novel tools and techniques where there is a research-driven need. I am equally interested in the biological questions people are studying, and the techniques that will help them to answer these questions.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a question. If you are based in School of Life Sciences you can find me in the main imaging facility area (MSI building, room 1L2-546).

 

Publications

  • Ball G, Demmerle J, Kaufmann R, Davis I, Dobbie IM, Schermelleh L. SIMcheck: a Toolbox for Successful Super-resolution Structured Illumination Microscopy. Scientific Reports 2015; 5:15915.
  • Halstead JM, Lin YQ, Durraine L, Hamilton RS, Ball G, Neely GG, Bellen HJ, Davis I. Syncrip/hnRNP Q influences synaptic transmission and regulates BMP signaling at the Drosophila neuromuscular synapse. Biology Open (2014); 3(9).
  • Lesterlin C, Ball G, Schermelleh L, Sherratt DJ. RecA bundles mediate homology pairing between distant sisters during DNA break repair. Nature (2013) doi: 10.1038/nature12868.
  • Hamilton RS, Ball G, Davis I. Biophysical Approaches to Translational Control of Gene Expression, Chapter 11 (Springer, 2013).
  • Ball G, Parton RM, Hamilton RS, Davis I. A Cell Biologist's Guide to High Resolution Imaging. Methods Enzymol. 2012; 504, 29-. E243-50. Epub 2011 Jun 13.
  • Parton RM, Hamilton RS, Ball G, Yang L, Cullen CF, Lu W, Ohkura H, Davis I. A PAR-1-ependent orientation gradient of dynamic microtubules directs posterior cargo transport in the Drosophila oocyte. JCB 2011; 194(1):121-135.
  • Wang X, Lesterlin C, Reyes-Lamothe R, Ball G, Sherratt DJ. Replication and segregation of an Escherichia coli chromosome with two replication origins. PNAS 2011; 108(26): E243-50.
  • Meenan N, Ball G, Bromek K, Uhrin D, Cooper A, Kennedy M, Smith B. Solution Structure of a Tandemly-Repeated Unit of the ABA-1 Polyprotein Allergen of the Nematode Ascaris Reveals a Novel Fold and Two Discrete Lipid-Binding Sites. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2011; 5(4):e1040.
  • Hamilton RS, Parton RM, Oliveira RA, Vendra G, Ball G, Nasmyth K, Davis I. ParticleStats: open source software for the analysis of particle motility and cytoskeletal polarity. Nucleic Acids Research 2010; 38:W641-
  • Yang L, Parton R, Ball G, Qiu Z, Greenaway AH, Davis I, Lu W. An Adaptive Non-local Means Filter for Denoising Live Cell Images and Improving Particle Detection. J. Struct. Biol. 2010; 172:233-.

Where I Come From

Previously I held a position as Image Analyst at the Micron Oxford Advanced Bioimaging unit.