Disease Ecology
Ecologically and economically important seagrasses are disappearing at alarming rates, threatening the stability of coastal ecosystems, and generating large economic costs. As seagrass wasting disease (caused by Labyrinthula spp. protists) has significantly contributed to this decline, it is surprising that the drivers of spatiotemporal patterns in risk and mortality are still unknown. I'm interested in investigating differences in host defenses among genotypes that may drive population-level heterogeneity.
Ecologically and economically important seagrasses are disappearing at alarming rates, threatening the stability of coastal ecosystems, and generating large economic costs. As seagrass wasting disease (caused by Labyrinthula spp. protists) has significantly contributed to this decline, it is surprising that the drivers of spatiotemporal patterns in risk and mortality are still unknown. I'm interested in investigating differences in host defenses among genotypes that may drive population-level heterogeneity.
Virus Discovery
Recent research has emphasized the importance of the microbiome (i.e., all microbes associated with a living organism) in mediating health, fitness, and resilience of plants. The microbiome includes viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protists; however, viruses are considerably understudied compared to cellular microbiome constituents. This gap in our knowledge is surprising given that viruses have significant detrimental and beneficial effects on the fitness of terrestrial plants. Currently, we have no knowledge of whether such relationships between seagrasses and viruses exist as their viral communities have never been described. As Dr. Mya Breitbart's lab recently discovered a novel potexvirus from subtropical seagrass in Tampa Bay with ease, there likely remains a diverse group of seagrass-infecting viruses that has yet to be described.
Recent research has emphasized the importance of the microbiome (i.e., all microbes associated with a living organism) in mediating health, fitness, and resilience of plants. The microbiome includes viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protists; however, viruses are considerably understudied compared to cellular microbiome constituents. This gap in our knowledge is surprising given that viruses have significant detrimental and beneficial effects on the fitness of terrestrial plants. Currently, we have no knowledge of whether such relationships between seagrasses and viruses exist as their viral communities have never been described. As Dr. Mya Breitbart's lab recently discovered a novel potexvirus from subtropical seagrass in Tampa Bay with ease, there likely remains a diverse group of seagrass-infecting viruses that has yet to be described.
Zoonoses and Spillover
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) present global health threats, and their emergences are often linked to anthropogenic change. This anthropogenic change has the potential to affect physiology and behavior, and ultimately wild organisms' response to a foreign pathogen. I am interested in how changes in individual resistance (i.e., the ability to limit pathogen replication), tolerance (i.e., the ability to limit pathogen-induced damage), and behavior influence transmission from one host to another.
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) present global health threats, and their emergences are often linked to anthropogenic change. This anthropogenic change has the potential to affect physiology and behavior, and ultimately wild organisms' response to a foreign pathogen. I am interested in how changes in individual resistance (i.e., the ability to limit pathogen replication), tolerance (i.e., the ability to limit pathogen-induced damage), and behavior influence transmission from one host to another.
Light Pollution
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is one form of anthropogenic change that spans beyond urban boundaries and may be relevant to EIDs through its influence on behavior and physiology of hosts and/or vectors. Although detrimental physiological and behavioral effects resulting from exposure to light at night are widely appreciated, the impacts of light pollution on infectious disease risk had no been studied prior to my work on the subject. As light pollution continues to grow in spatial, spectral, and temporal extent, we recognize the urgent need to understand how this affects circadian physiology, organismal fitness, life history traits and tradeoffs, population trends, and community interactions.
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is one form of anthropogenic change that spans beyond urban boundaries and may be relevant to EIDs through its influence on behavior and physiology of hosts and/or vectors. Although detrimental physiological and behavioral effects resulting from exposure to light at night are widely appreciated, the impacts of light pollution on infectious disease risk had no been studied prior to my work on the subject. As light pollution continues to grow in spatial, spectral, and temporal extent, we recognize the urgent need to understand how this affects circadian physiology, organismal fitness, life history traits and tradeoffs, population trends, and community interactions.