The Ecology of Hosts - Diseases in the Environment

We have all experienced the itchy sensation of mosquito bites and it is even more concerning to know that in some places, they will transmit diseases to us. However, we never ask ourselves WHY mosquitoes bite people. In this talk, I will take you along the fantastic journey of the evolution of a mosquito's love for blood, and their constant desire for biting. Come along and enjoy some pints as much as mosquitoes enjoy imbibing our blood!

Ticks and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease are increasing. But with more knowledge and awareness of where and when the risks are highest or lowest, we can help reduce the chances of getting ourselves bitten in the first place. Come along to learn about tick and Lyme disease ecology, which habitats and animals create more or less risk, and the science behind judging where or when we are safest in the landscape.

My research takes you back over a thousand years to the time of Vikings, when extensive trade networks resulted in Vikings travelling large distances from the Caliphate to North America. Hygiene was poor and conditions were squalid. Animals and humans lived in close proximity with bugs rampant. These bugs transmitted disease. I aim to identify these diseases through analysis of ancient DNA recovered from sub-fossils; revealing for the first time what vector-borne diseases the Vikings actually had and how accessing ancient strains provides valuable information for modern epidemiology.