Dr Melanie Nicholls

Melanie studied at the University of Exeter for a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, then spent time as a summer student at CABI Biosciences Switzerland, before moving to Durham University to study for a Master’s degree in Ecology. She then moved to Manchester University to complete her PhD, investigating behavioural ecology in the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata, and the relevance of sexual selection in the success of the sterile insect technique program. Following a post-doctoral contract at Reading University, looking at tritrophic relationships between plants, insect pests and their parasitoids, Melanie moved into the commercial sector and spent several years working for pharmaceutical consultancies before taking a break to raise her family.

Melanie joined The Pirbright Institute in 2021 as a Research Assistant in the Arthropod Genetics group. Shortly afterwards she joined the Vector Ecology group as a Postdoctoral Scientist to run the UK Culicoides surveillance scheme and take responsibility for the Institute’s Stomoxys calcitrans colony. Since 2025 Melanie has been working on a Defra-funded project investigating the environmental drivers of Culicoides behaviour and their role in the persistence of diseases such as Bluetongue virus over the winter months. Melanie spends her time visiting farms in the local area to study their Culicoides populations, and working on field-caught and laboratory-reared Culicoides back in the Insectary laboratories. She also lectures and runs practicals for universities both in the UK and overseas.