Dr Simon Carpenter

Simon Carpenter is an entomologist whose main research focus is the biology and ecology of biting midges within the genus Culicoides. He has worked on this group of insects for 18 years, beginning with his PhD which examined the Scottish biting midge in Argyll, Scotland.

Following these studies, he moved to The Pirbright Institute in 2002 to work within Dr Philip Mellor’s internationally renowned group researching the role of these tiny flies in arbovirus transmission. Simon became the Entomology group leader in 2011 and has since led a wide variety of externally funded projects on Culicoides and the viruses they transmit. In addition, Simon is science lead for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Core Capability Grant at The Pirbright Institute, a major public investment which funds infrastructure contributing to the Institute’s unique capabilities in virology and production of resources for research throughout the world.

Simon’s scientific studies have led to the publication of over 90 peer-reviewed papers and this expertise has also led to his involvement as an expert in responses to arbovirus incursions in the UK and beyond. He is a founder member of the OIE (World Animal Health) working group on Culicoides and an advisor within UK Defra expert groups on bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses.