About Us

35 years helping clients screen, test formulations and devices aiming to minimise the impact of arthropods on both human and animal health.

Ian Burgess

Director

Ian joined the Medical Entomology Centre in 1984 working on insects and arachnids of medical importance including, lice, flies, fleas, mosquitoes, ticks, and cockroaches.

Director of Medical Entomology Centre since 2002 running on-human Clinical Trials of ectoparasite treatments, repellents, and pediculicides to ICH-GCP.

Director of Insect Research & Development since 2002 working for clients to determine efficacy of products against medically important insects. Client list includes worldwide companies with interests in public health, pest management, and insect borne diseases.

Elizabeth Brunton

Deputy Director

Elizabeth joined the Medical Entomology Centre in 1994 after leaving university. Here she gained entomological knowledge through working closely with Dr John Maunder and Ian Burgess. During the last 29 years Elizabeth has gained a wide breadth of knowledge in medically important public health pests such as lice, fleas, flies, cockroaches, house dust mites, and ticks.

Deputy Director of Insect Research & Development since 2002 working for SMEs, and worldwide companies with interests in eradicating insects pests. Elizabeth is also clinical trials manager.

OVER 35 YEARS OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Insect Research & Development Limited (IRD) is a contract research company specialising in investigations of methods for controlling insects and other arthropods of public health significance. IRD focuses on insect research and laboratory testing to establish the activity of products at various stages of the product development process, from initial compounds to the final formulation.

​IRD has extensive experience of evaluating products since its foundation as Medical Entomology Centre in 1984. During that time, IRD have screened most of the leading head louse products used as topically applied treatments. IRD have developed a series of protocols for measuring the effectiveness of products and materials designed to manage house dust mites and their allergens, bed bugs and other household pests, and evaluation of insect repellents. These have since been adopted by other bodies.

​IRD test to WHO, HSE, BIOCIDES PT18-19, AATCC, EPA, and AAPCO test methods.

Through Medical Entomology Centre, the company has been at the forefront of protocol design and implementation of good clinical practices in the conduct of clinical investigations of head louse treatments.

​IRD engage in a range of activities including the identification of animal-derived foreign bodies (not just insects) found in consumer goods on behalf of leading retail companies.

IRD also offer specialist and bespoke training on public health pests, ectoparasites and forensic expert witness work involving interactions between humans and arthropods.