Overview
My research focuses on animal responses to environmental change, with a particular emphasis on how behaviour and movement shape zoonotic spillover risk. I am the Scientific Lead of the Horizon Europe project , which investigates how ecosystem degradation and restoration alter infectious disease dynamics, and how nature-based solutions can be leveraged to reduce disease risk.
My work combines movement ecology, behavioural ecology, and disease ecology, developing new tools to uncover the mechanisms linking animal behaviour to pathogen transmission. I use and design to test theoretical predictions of spillover risk, including an
A major strand of my research is acoustic ecology. I have developed to analyse soundscapes in real time, with extensive work on bat acoustics, linking social behaviour and movement to vocal activity. I currently lead a multi-partner project mapping bat social soundscapes to behaviour in North Wales.
Beyond Europe, I contribute to applied surveillance, including the development of an which uses mosquito blood-meal analysis to identify host communities and track biodiversity change relevant to disease emergence.
Teaching and Supervision
I teach the following courses:
- Telling Data Driven Stories in Conservation: How to plan, carry out, analyse and report an effective scientific study (MSc)
- Organismal Diversity - Chiropteran diversity (BSc)
- Parasites and Pathogens (BSc)
Student projects with me can cover the following:
- Bat ecology
- Animal movement and behaviour
- Acoustic ecology
- Functional diversity under different ecological conditions
- Parasitology
Supervision:听
PhD
Cato Vangenechten (co-supervised with Joachim Marien, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium and Sophie Gryseels, University of Antwerp, Belgium)
Project title: Restoring nature鈥檚 health: Investigating the effects of听
ecosystem restoration on zoonotic disease risk
Baraka Edson Mwamandula (co-supervised with Joachim Marien, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Alfan Riga and Apia Massawe, Sokoine University of Agriculture).听
Project title: Unravelling Zoonotic Pathogen Transmission Among Small Mammals And Their Ectoparasites in Degraded and Restored Habitats
Owen Storer (co-supervised with Alex Georgiev and Amy Ellison, 成人VR视频)
Project title: Parasites in Zanzibar Red Colobus: Linking Human Disturbance to Infection Patterns
MRes / MSc
Lauren Webster (co-supervised with Amy Ellison)
Project Title: Dietary Preference and Gut Microbiota Composition of Frugivorous Phyllostomids Within Fragmented Landscapes of the Ecuadorian Choc贸
Publications
2026
- Published
Kirkpatrick, L., 19 Jun 2026, COMING, BEPREP, RESTOREID and ZOE.
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Commissioned report - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., 19 Jun 2026
Research output: Other contribution - Published
Fell, A., Jagadesh, S., Duthie, A. B., Kirkpatrick, L. & Bunnefeld, N., 27 Jan 2026, In: Nature Sustainability . 9, p. 142-152 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - E-pub ahead of print
Huels, F., Sluydts, V., Vermeiren, D., Voinson, M., Kirkpatrick, L., Herrera Olivares, I., Leirs, H., Jacob, J. & Vanden Broecke, B., 23 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Integrative Zoology.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Hristova, E. (Other), Kirkpatrick, L. (Other), Koehler, K. (Other) & Harrison, S. (Other), 20 May 2026
Research output: Non-textual form 鈥� Digital or Visual Products
2025
- Published
Abed, L., Vangenechten, C., Sluydts, V. & Kirkpatrick, L., 11 Dec 2025, protocols.io.
Research output: Other contribution - E-pub ahead of print
Ecke, F., Semenza, J. C., Buzan, E., Costa, F., Giorgi, E., Guo, J., Kirkpatrick, L., Knauf, S., Meheretu, Y., Singh, N., Sj枚din, H., Timperley, M., Treskova, M., Ulrich, R. G., Zeppelini, C. G. & Rockl枚v, J., 7 Oct 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 9, 11, p. 1979-1988 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Albery, G. F., Becker, D. J., Firth, J. A., De Moor, D., Ravindran, S., Silk, M., Sweeny, A. R., Vander Wal, E., Webber, Q., Allen, B., Babayan, S. A., Barve, S., Begon, M., Birtles, R. J., Block, T. A., Block, B. A., Bradley, J. E., Budischak, S., Buesching, C. & Burthe, S. J. & 90 others, , 4 Sept 2025, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 9, 11, p. 2002-2013 12 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Gogarten, J., Lagostina, L., Sluydts, V., Vangenechten, C. & Kirkpatrick, L., 11 Dec 2025, protocols.io.
Research output: Other contribution - E-pub ahead of print
Vangenechten, C., Mari毛n,, J., Vandecasteele,, H., Van Houtte, N., Gryseels,, S., Leirs,, H., Mwamundela, B. E., Sabuni,, C. & Kirkpatrick, L., 1 Dec 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Mammalia. 90, p. 39-49 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Mari毛n, J., Sabuni, C., Mwamundela, B. & Leirs, H., 2 Nov 2025, In: Ecology and Evolution. 15, 11, e72367.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L. & Jagadesh, S., 23 Dec 2025
Research output: Book/Report 鈥� Other report - Published
Huels, F., Van den Broeke, B., Sluydts, V., Kirkpatrick, L., Hererra Olivares, I., Ennen, H., Vermeiren, D., Leirs, H. & Jacob, J., 3 Jan 2025, In: PLoS ONE. 20, 1, p. e0312553
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - In preparation
Eynde, R. V., Olivares, I. H. & Kirkpatrick, L., 10 Dec 2025, (In preparation) BioRxiv.
Research output: Working paper 鈥� Preprint
2024
- E-pub ahead of print
van Der Hoek, Y., Van de Perre, F., Fastr茅, C., Kirkpatrick, L., Ngobobo, U., Tokunda, R., Binyinyi, E. & Stoinski, T. S., 4 Sept 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 5, 3, e12379.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2023
- Published
Mande, C., Van Cakenberghe, V., Kirkpatrick, L., Laudisoit, A., De Bruyn, L., Gembu, G.-C. & Verheyen, E., 1 Sept 2023, In: Biotropica. 55, 5, p. 920-932 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Mande, C., Kirkpatrick, L., Van Cakenberghe, V., De Bruyn, L., Laudisoit, A., Gembu, G.-C. & Verheyen, E., 1 Dec 2023, In: African Journal of Ecology. 61, 4, p. 829-839 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Leirs, H., Kirkpatrick, L., Sluydts, V., Sabuni, C., Borremans, B., Katakweba, A., Massawe, A., Makundi, R., Mulungu, L., Machang'u, R. & Mari毛n, J., 11 Nov 2023, In: Scientific data. 10, 1, p. 798
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2022
- Published
Van Der Drift, A.-M., Leirs, H., Mari毛n, J., Sabuni, C., Mulungu, L. & Kirkpatrick, L., 2 Nov 2022, In: bioRxiv. p. 1 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article
2021
- Published
De Bruyn, L., Gyselings, R., Kirkpatrick, L., Rachwald, A., Apozna艅ski, G. & Kokurewicz, T., 14 Jan 2021, In: Scientific Reports. 11, 1, p. 1464 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Albery, G. F., Kirkpatrick, L., Firth, J. A. & Bansal, S., 1 Jan 2021, In: Journal of Animal Ecology. 90, 1, p. 45-61 17 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2020
- Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Apozna艅ski, G., Bruyn, L. D., Gyselings, R. & Kokurewicz, T., 2 Mar 2020, In: Acta Chiropterologica. 21, 2, p. 465-471 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Mari毛n, J., Borremans, B., Verhaeren, C., Kirkpatrick, L., Gryseels, S., Go眉y de Bellocq, J., G眉nther, S., Sabuni, C. A., Massawe, A. W. & Reijniers, J., 1 Feb 2020, In: Journal of Animal Ecology. 89, 2, p. 506-518 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2018
- Published
Berkvens, R., Olivares, I. H., Mercelis, S., Kirkpatrick, L. & Weyn, M., 17 Oct 2018, Advances on P2P, Parallel, Grid, Cloud and Internet Computing: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on P2P, Parallel, Grid, Cloud and Internet Computing (3PGCIC-2018). Springer, p. 405-414 10 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding 鈥� Conference contribution 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Graham, J., McGregor, S., Munro, L., Scoarize, M. & Park, K., 4 Oct 2018, In: PLoS ONE. 13, 10, p. e0204511
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Mitchell, S. N. & Park, K. J., 1 Nov 2018, In: Ecology and Evolution. 8, 22, p. 11134-11142 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2017
- Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Maher, S. J., Lopez, Z., Lintott, P. R., Bailey, S. A., Dent, D. & Park, K. J., 1 Feb 2017, In: Biological Conservation. 206, p. 1-10 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Bailey, S. & Park, K. J., 15 Nov 2017, In: Forest Ecology and Management. 404, p. 306-315 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., Oldfield, I. F. & Park, K., 1 Jul 2017, In: Forest Ecology and Management. 395, p. 1-8 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review - Published
Kirkpatrick, L., 1 Jan 2017, In: Ecology and Evolution. 7, 1, p. 145-188 44 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2015
- Published
Newbold, T., Hudson, L. N., Hill, S. L., Contu, S., Lysenko, I., Senior, R. A., B枚rger, L., Bennett, D. J., Choimes, A., Collen, B. & Kirkpatrick, L., 1 Apr 2015, In: Nature. 520, 7545, p. 45-50 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
2014
- Published
Newbold, T., Hudson, L. N., Phillips, H. R., Hill, S. L., Contu, S., Lysenko, I., Blandon, A., Butchart, S. H., Booth, H. L., Day, J. & Kirkpatrick, L., 7 Oct 2014, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 281, 1792, p. 20141371 1 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal 鈥� Article 鈥� peer-review
Activities
2026
Expert Working Group - integrating One Health into the Life Sciences Strategy
24 Jun 2026 鈫�
Activity: Membership of committee (Member)14 Jun 2026 鈥� 19 Jun 2026
Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)Ecosystem Change and Disease Spillover: Risks and Opportunities for Planetary Health
I organised a session (across two time slots) focused on the relationship between biodiversity, ecosystem change and pathogen dynamics - can we improve planetary health and reduce spillover risk through ecosystem improvement?
Bending the curve of biodiversity loss, and addressing the interconnected planetary crises that negatively impact planetary health and social justice requires the development of actionable solutions based on the best available knowledge, jointly across sectors and generations. It also requires addressing the root causes of these crises, current social and cultural pattern and practices, by co-developing biodiversity-positive futures, and creating structures and practices that are just and equitable. The World Biodiversity Forum is a space that brings together researchers, policy makers and practitioners across a range of disciplines to address these crises.
14 Jun 2026 鈥� 20 Jun 2026
Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)Reviewer for the NERC Turing AI fellowships
11 Mar 2026
Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Membership of peer review panel or committee (Reviewer)
2025
Closed workshop to discuss synergies and opportunities between the HorizonEU funded projects RESTOREID and BIOFIN-EU. The focus was on understanding the risks and opportunities presented by ecosystem restoration, and how these can be managed or influenced through financial mechanisms. Finally we considered how policy interacts with the need for a One Health perspective and financial leveraging.
25 Jun 2025
Activity: Other (Contributor)Invited to give a workshop in how to use the biologgers I developed in monitoring animal movement and behaviour in captive animals (zoo conservation).
4 Apr 2025
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)Write Now!
2025 鈫�
Links:
2024
Invited speaker at a session at the conference
19 Nov 2024
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)Invited speaker - Integrating a One Health thinking into restoration practices
18 Nov 2024 鈥� 22 Nov 2024
Activity: Invited talk (Invited speaker)Webinar for the World Resources Institute on the relationship between ecosystem change, restoration and pathogen risk. Webinar to all Africa staff of WRI that involved a 30 minute presentation followed by 30 minute discussion panel
19 Sep 2024
Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Public lecture/debate/seminar (Presenter)- Co-supervised between Sokoine University of Agriculture, 成人VR视频 and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp.
- PhD studentship within WP3 of the HorizonEU funded RESTOREID project
1 Aug 2024 鈥� 31 Dec 2027
Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Research and Teaching at External Organisation (Organiser)Invited visitor to Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour (MPI - AB), delivered seminar: Restoring biodiversity 鈥� the key to preventing the next pandemic?
9 Jul 2024 鈥� 10 Jul 2024
Activity: Visiting an external academic institution (Visiting researcher)The UN鈥檚 Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the ambitious goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework highlight the urgent need for action. We must halt the degradation of ecosystems, restore those that have suffered, and conserve the ones still intact. In alignment with this global effort, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 aims to contribute to the continuous, long-term recovery of biodiverse and resilient nature across Europe.
To address these critical challenges, BiodivERsA (now Biodiversa+) and Water JPI (now Water4all) jointly launched the 鈥淏iodivRestore鈥� ERANET COFUND in 2020 to support research on ecosystem restoration. Building on its success and the funding 22 research projects, BiodivRestore partners established a pan-European Knowledge Hub on Nature Restoration.
This hub is a network of researchers and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. Its goal? To empower countries in developing and implementing national restoration plans, ultimately achieving the targets set by the EU and UN initiatives.
29 May 2024 鈫�
Activity: Membership of network (Member)- PhD studentship co-supervised by the Institute for Tropical Medicine (Antwerp, Belgium), the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and 成人VR视频
- PhD studentship funded under WP3 of the HorizonEU funded project, RESTOREID
1 Jan 2024 鈥� 31 Dec 2027
Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Research and Teaching at External Organisation (Contributor)
2023
External Examiner for PhD thesis
1 Oct 2023
Activity: Examination (Examiner)
Projects
-
01/06/2025 鈥� 15/06/2027 (Active)
Other Grants and Projects
(Restoring Ecosystems to Stop the Threat of (Re-)Emerging Infectious Disease) is a听Horizon Europe research initiative (2024鈥�2027)听funded to explore how听ecosystem restoration, biodiversity and disease dynamics intersect. It seeks to听understand when, where and through what mechanisms ecological restoration can help听prevent or mitigate zoonotic spillover,听the transmission of pathogens from wildlife to people, and how restoration may also influence broader ecosystem and human health.
The project recognises that while听landscape degradation increases spillover risk, it is听not yet clear which restoration actions, scales or contexts effectively reduce that risk, or how restoration changes species interactions, human鈥揺nvironment contact, biodiversity patterns, and pathogen transmission. RESTOREID integrates ecological, social, and health perspectives to fill this knowledge gap.
RESTOREID combines听innovative monitoring and modelling methods,听including biodiversity diagnostics, acoustic and eDNA assessments, participatory scenario mapping, and social science engagement, to test hypotheses about ecological and behavioural mechanisms affecting disease outcomes. It also develops tools to support听policy-relevant decision-making听and community engagement, such as interactive games and knowledge platforms, helping translate scientific insight into practical strategies for healthier landscapes and safer coexistence of people and wildlife.
is听 a SNIS funded project investigating how knowledge on biodiversity can be leveraged to provide insights into, and early warnings about vector borne pathogen hazard. Vector-borne diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and Zika cause over 700,000 deaths annually, a toll worsened by climate change, biodiversity loss, and land-use change. In tropical regions, limited public health capacity means outbreaks are often detected too late.This project is developing an early warning system that combines invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) from mosquito blood meals with climate, land-use, and community vulnerability data to predict outbreak risk. In Tolima, Colombia, researchers will detect pathogens and host species from mosquitoes collected across different landscapes, integrating results into spatial models to identify high-risk areas.Co-developed with Colombia鈥檚 national surveillance system and in collaboration with the WHO, the approach will produce open-access tools, training materials, and policy guidance to support adoption in other vulnerable regions.The project unites experts from 成人VR视频 (UK), Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), the Secretar铆a de Salud de Tolima, the Civil Society Nature Reserve 鈥淐harco Azul鈥�, the Colombian Primatological Association, and other partners.