Dr Polly Hayes
After gaining my BSc (Hons) in Applied Biology from Kingston University in 2000, I then undertook my PhD in Parasitology also at Kingston University. I then worked as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Royal Holloway University of London, the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, and the Natural History Museum, London, as well as having part-time teaching roles at Kingston University, before joining the University of Westminster as a Lecturer in Parasitology and Medical Microbiology in August 2015.
Parasites and parasitic vector-borne diseases significantly impact on global health and food security, but biological understanding needed for effective & sustainable diagnosis, treatment and control, remains neglected.
My research focuses mainly on the diversity, evolution and ecology of disease vectors, parasites, and host-parasite interactions, particularly in relation to transmission.
Areas of interest include: protozoan blood parasites of medical and veterinary importance (particularly trypanosomes), neglected vectors of zoonotic diseases (biting flies, ticks, leeches), and parasites of wildlife, especially in relation to emerging zoonoses, food security and the pet trade.