Dr Lauren J. Cator

Dr Cator is an Associate Professor in Vector and Transmission Ecology in the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London, Silwood Park. Her research focuses on mosquito behavioural ecology, reproductive biology, host–parasite interactions, vector competence, mating systems, and the effects of environmental and ecological change on mosquito populations and disease transmission.

She has held or participated in substantial UKRI-funded programmes, including a BBSRC award on mosquito acoustic signalling and mating success, and a BBSRC-supported international research coordination network on vector behaviour in transmission ecology.

Currently, she leads a Wellcome Discovery Award on leveraging evolutionary processes to improve sterile insect technique for arbovirus vectors, and brings extensive experience in experimental mosquito biology, international collaborative research and translation of fundamental vector ecology into control strategies. Her expertise would support CTID^R in experimental design, mosquito fitness and reproductive studies, climate–vector research, grant development and international scientific collaboration.