Austin Burt

Austin Burt is a Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at Imperial College London, specializing in genetic mechanisms with applications in pest control and disease vectors. His career at Imperial spans since 2005, preceded by roles as Reader (2000–2005) and Governors' Lecturer (1995–2000).

• Research focuses on evolutionary genetics, gene drive systems, and population modeling for public health applications.
• Principal Investigator of Target Malaria, an international consortium developing genetically modified mosquitoes to eradicate malaria.

Honors and Awards:

• President’s Medal for Excellence in Societal Engagement (2017)
• Cozzarelli Prize from PNAS (2012)
• Wolfson Research Merit Award (2011–2016)
• Institute of Zoology Science Medal (2000)

His 2012 PNAS paper on music evolution demonstrates interdisciplinary work combining genetics and social sciences. Current work emphasizes self-sustaining gene drive technologies for mosquito population control.