Laura Nagel

Laura Nagel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Queen's University, Faculty of Arts and Science. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology and ecology, particularly the interactions between hosts and parasites, with an emphasis on insects and marine organisms. She investigates how parasites influence host behavior, life history traits, and evolutionary trajectories, while exploring mechanisms of resistance and adaptation in host species.

Her work spans diverse systems including damselflies, sticklebacks, and coral reef fish parasites. Notably, she examines how environmental variation and parasite pressure drive evolutionary changes in host traits such as immune responses, flight performance, and reproductive strategies. Recent studies highlight the role of parasitism in speciation processes and the ecological consequences of host-parasite dynamics.

In marine systems, she explores the phylogeography and behavior of ectoparasites like Gnathia spp., linking genetic divergence to ecological specialization. Her research also addresses the impact of climate change on coral resilience through studies of bleaching resistance mechanisms.

Dr. Nagel’s publications reveal a consistent focus on quantifying selection pressures mediated by parasites, temporal variation in parasitism, and the interplay between host traits and parasite strategies. Her work bridges laboratory experiments, field observations, and genomic approaches to unravel complex ecological and evolutionary questions.