Joanne Webster

Professor Joanne P. Webster is a leading parasitologist at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and Imperial College London's Faculty of Medicine, holding Chairs in Parasitic Diseases and Infectious Diseases (Honorary). She directs the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR) and leads the Pathogen Flow in Ecosystems strategic grouping. Her career spans over 250 publications, global disease control programs (e.g., SCI's 300 million anthelmintic treatments in Africa), and awards including the Royal Society Leeuwenhoek Medal (2023) and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2022).

Her research focuses on zoonotic parasites like Schistosoma and Toxoplasma gondii, examining host behavior manipulation, drug resistance, and One Health frameworks. She has supervised 30+ PhD/MSc students, including prizewinning work on hybrid schistosomes and livestock parasitology. Her 2020-2025 articles highlight schistosomiasis elimination, parasite-microbiome interactions, and dopamine-linked behavioral changes.

• Key Honors: Queen’s Anniversary Prize (2008), Chalmers Memorial Medal (2013), Marquis Lifetime Achievement (2021)
• Advisory Roles: WHO Guideline Development Group, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Board, Fauna and Flora International

She actively engages in public science through documentaries and global outreach, with media features in New Scientist, National Geographic, and The Atlantic. Contact: JOWEBSTER@rvc.ac.uk