Vale Lab We are a research group within the Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh.Our work focuses on the ecology and evolution of infection dynamics in insects. Our Research Group members Meet our current and former lab group members. Lab NewsWelcomeTo Priscilla Akyaw, who joins our lab as a postdoc!Priscilla Akyaw Google ScholarCongratulations!Arun Prakash, a former Darwin Trust-funded PhD student, has been awarded the Royal Entomological Society’s Alfred Wallace Award. Arun's PhD thesis on 'Immune Regulation Of Disease Tolerance And Immune Priming In Drosophila' was assessed as the best thesis submitted in 2022!Royal Entomological Society’s Alfred Wallace AwardNew paper!Forecasting the effects of epidemics is complicated by a population’s pathogen exposure history. In our paper published in PLOS Biology, we argue for the use of experimental disease ecology to better understand the consequences of variable infection history.Paper in PLOS BiologyWelcome!To Dhobasheni Newman! Dhobs is our new Research Assistant / Lab manager.Welcome!To Anna Horiunova, Billur Topbas and Qurratu'Aina Munir who will join the lab on a Genetics Society Summer Studentship, and also to Finn McElrue-Inch who won a College Vacation studentship. Looking forward to work with them over the summer.Genetics Society Summer StudentshipNew paper!Pedro co-authored a Current Biology Primer on Avoidance of Infection highlighting its taxonomic breadth, mechanisms and evolution, and its importance across fields as diverse as public health, conservation, and agriculture.Primer on Avoidance of Infection Older news Publications Find all the publications from the lab. Join us Opportunities to join us, from all career stages. Teaching & Outreach Teaching activities, talks and media. This article was published on 2026-03-20
