Evolutionary biologist Dr. Kayla King has been awarded the 2025 Francis Crick Medal and Lecture by the Royal Society of London for contributions to the fields of evolutionary biology and genetics of infectious disease. The prize is awarded to scientists who have received their PhD in the biological sciences within the past 15 years. Preference is usually given to the fields of genetics, molecular biology and neurobiology.
Dr. King is a professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair in UBC’s departments of Zoology and Microbiology and Immunology, and a professorial fellow at Oxford University. She is interested in the effects of a warming climate and biodiversity loss to the evolution of pathogens virulence and animal health during infection.
“It’s an immense privilege to have my research recognized by the Royal Society of London,” Dr. King said. “I feel fortunate every day to be able to think about science and make new discoveries, together with my brilliant students and excellent colleagues. I’m thrilled that my fields of study, evolutionary biology and genetics of infectious disease, are being highlighted by this Crick Medal.”
