Academic and Professional Background

• Background:

  Laura joined the Bio-Protection Research Centre from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Fort Pierce, Florida where she was interested in invasive species such as Bemisia tabaci, Diaphorina citri, and Anastrepha suspensa, all of which are major pests of citrus. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where she studied the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in vernal pool plants in California. Laura also worked with the Theoretical Biology and Biophysics group at Los Alamos National Laboratory studying Influenza and HCV evolution.

• Research:

  Laura works with Dr Karen Armstrong on molecular diagnostics.