Dr Robyn Manley

About me:

I am a molecular ecologist interested in host-pathogen interactions. My current focus is on ecological and evolutionary risk factors that drive multi-host pathogens and disease emergence. Rapidly evolving RNA viruses and gut pathogens that infect multiple pollinating insects provide a model system in the field and lab. I have a background in marine biology, entomology and vector-borne disease.

I am interested in the epidemiology of infectious disease and the factors that influence transmission and disease emergence. These factors include host-specificity and pathogenicity of parasites; host phylogenetics and ecology; and host-parasite co-evolution. In addition, human activity can create unnatural opportunities for disease emergence and I’m interested in the effect of this on disease epidemiology. I use fast-evolving viral parasites of pollinating insects such as bees and hoverflies as a system to identify ecological and genetic risk factors that promote the emergence of infectious diseases. Pollinators are crucial for our food security and biodiversity. Conservation and disease control are the over-arching aims of my research and I aim to generate results that can be applied to this end.

PhD in Molecular ecology and evolution: transmission dynamics of pollinator viruses

MSc in Marine biology, (2008, University of Plymouth)
BSc in Zoology, (2006,University of Bristol)