Laura Sirot

Laura Sirot is a Professor of Biology and Department Co-Chair at the College of Wooster. She holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Florida (2004) and advanced degrees from the University of Michigan and University of Florida. Her research focuses on animal behavior, particularly the mechanisms and evolutionary significance of reproductive interactions in insects and humans. She investigates seminal fluid proteins in mosquitoes, human fertility dynamics, and mosquito-monkey interactions in Costa Rica.

Research Interests: Animal behavior, evolutionary biology, reproductive physiology, mosquito biology, human fertility, and insect ecology. Her work combines molecular techniques with field studies, aiming to address applied problems like pest management and infertility.

Key Contributions: Pioneered studies on mosquito seminal proteins’ effects on female physiology, including egg-laying and mating refusal. Discovered human males adjust sperm quality based on perceived competition. Recent work explores mosquito blood-feeding ecology and natural repellents derived from monkey fur.

Awards: NIH R15 Grant (2019) for mosquito research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant for inclusive mentoring, and GLCA Collaboration Award for teaching Animal Behavior.

Lab & Collaborations: The Sirot Lab collaborates with institutions globally, including UCLA and Costa Rican researchers. Current projects include studying Aedes aegypti seminal proteins and mosquito-monkey-microbe interactions at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve.