Laura Caicedo-Quiroga is a Molecular Research Technician at WRBU, focusing on barcoding samples for the arthropod collection’s DNA barcoding effort, and screening mosquito and tick specimens for pathogens.
In addition to her work at WRBU, Ms. Caicedo-Quiroga is studying the cryptic diversity of Whip Spiders (Order: Amblypygi) of the family Phrynidae in the Caribbean region, as well as the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Phrynus, for her master’s thesis. Previously, she also served as a curatorial technician for the University of Vermont‘s Zadock Thompson invertebrate collection. As an undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico, Ms. Caicedo-Quiroga’s research included the sexual behavior of honeybees, biomonitoring of freshwater aquatic insects, and biodiversity of arachnids of the Caribbean.
Originally from Colombia and raised in Puerto Rico, Ms. Caicedo-Quiroga is passionate about research and discovery in Latin America, having explored many of the forests and caves of Puerto Rico and Colombia. She looks forward to continuing fieldwork for WRBU, as well as pursuing her research interests in systematic and phylogenetic studies.
Ms. Caicedo-Quiroga received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Sciences from University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, and is a Master of Science candidate at the University of Vermont.
