Emma Laing

Dr. Emma Laing is a Visiting Professor at the University of Surrey, affiliated with the School of Biosciences and the Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology. She holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics from the University of East Anglia and Manchester University. Her research focuses on computational approaches to analyze large-scale biological data, particularly in genomics, circadian rhythms, and microbiology.

Key roles include leading interdisciplinary projects totaling >£4.5M, including studies on antimicrobial resistance, microbiota influences on foal health, and blood transcriptome biomarkers for microgravity effects. She has served on panels for BBSRC, MRC, and Wellcome Trust, and reviews for journals like Frontiers in Genetics and Bioinformatics.

Research interests span bioinformatics tool development, systems biology, and applications in healthcare. Current projects include foot-and-mouth disease vaccine research and wheat yield improvement via microbial communities. Teaching emphasizes interdisciplinary training in computational biology and molecular biology.

Her funded work includes a MRC iCASE Studentship on hospital sink microbiomes and a BBSRC-European Space Agency study on circadian blood transcriptomes. She co-supervises PhD students in vaccinomics, microbiome analysis, and transcriptomic data science.