Professor Michael T Siva-Jothy
Professor of Entomology in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences.
I have been at the University of ºù«Ӱҵ since 1990 and was made chair of entomology in 2006.
My research has always been focussed on understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of behaviour and life-history decisions and I am currently trying to understand how the insect immune system is coordinated over the life of an organism.
This work is important in understanding, for example, why honeybee colonies collapse, or why a mosquito's immune system does not recognise the malarial parasites they vector.
I came to the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences because it was widely regarded as a supportive and collegiate department, as well as being a centre for excellence in evolutionary ecological research. I am proud to have built my career here and to have served as the head of the department for the last six years.
I am also proud to be part of the University that wants to make the value, potential and diversity of all its members a centre piece of its strategic thinking: that is the vision and ambition that I want to be part of and see fulfilled.