Emma Teeling

Prof. Emma Teeling is an international leader in the cross-cutting fields of mammalian phylogenetics and comparative genomics, with particular expertise, in bat biology. She established the Laboratory of Molecular Evolution and Mammalian Phylogenetics in 2005, is a Founding Director of the genome consortium Bat1K and the Professor of Zoology at University College Dublin, Ireland.Prof. Teeling’s integrative research in the fields of zoology, phylogenetics and genomics uncovers the genetic signatures of survival that enables species to adapt to an ever-changing environment. The two mains-goals of her research are: (1) study unique model species to better understand the molecular basis of mammalian adaptations to inform medicine and molecular biology; (2) understand and thereafter conserve, natural populations.She has pioneered and leads global research into the development of bats as new models for healthy ageing and disease tolerance. She has been awarded prestigious personal grants to pursue this research- European Research Council (ERC) Starting grant (2013-2018), a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (2006-2012), an Irish Research Council (IRC) Laureate Award (2018-2022), and an SFI Future Frontiers Award (2020-2025).She successfully leads a prolific, internationally renowned research team of typically 10 people and has secured >€6.6M in research funding since 2005, successfully mentoring her team. Her record of leadership and research excellence is demonstrated by her publication record of >118 internationally peer-reviewed papers, 6 book chapters, 4 invited subject reviews. A number of these publications have over-turned conventional paradigms in mammalian biology and therefore have been published in high profile journals such as Nature (n=4), Science (n=5), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (n=4), Nature Communications (n=2), Nature Ecology and Evolution (n=2), Science Advances (n=2).Her high standing in the international community is highlighted by a total citation record of 12,974 (Google Scholar 26/10/2022); prestigious international keynote lectures and high profile invited public presentations (e.g. TED talk; ~ 563,000 views; EU Parliament; World Economic Forum, Davos; BBC’s Science Club with Dara Ó Briain, Royal Institution Christmas Lectures). She is a member of Royal Irish Academy, (2016) and has been awarded Chevalier des Palmes Académiques, 2017 by the French Government for her research.