Profile

Overview

I am interested in understanding the emergence and spread of infectious diseases across wildlife and agricultural systems, as well as how to develop epidemic preparedness programmes that engage local communities to more effectively protect against animal diseases. To this end, I use a range of model systems. For example, I investigate how a pathogen of poultry jumped and evolved in a wild North American songbird, killing millions. Additionally, I study the factors driving the emergence of avian pox across the Galápagos archipelago, of leprosy in endangered West African chimpanzees, of phocine distemper in vulnerable harbour seals of the UK, as well as test the role of herring gulls in spreading anti-microbial resistant bacteria across UK landscapes. 

I am a member of the Evolution group. For further details, please see Research.

Qualifications

PhD., University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris (France)
M.Sc., University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris (France)
B.Sc. (License), University Denis Diderot, Paris (France)

Career

EU Marie-Curie & CNRS Research Fellow, Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale (France)
Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard U. (USA)
Postdoctoral researcher, Center for Tropical Research, U. California, Los Angeles (USA)

Research group links

• Ecosystems

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Research

Research interests

My research interests broadly cover host-pathogen interactions in natural populations, from the mechanistic underpinnings of the co-evolutionary process, through to the conservation implications of infectious outbreaks and how to prevent them. I am particularly interested in understanding how emerging infectious pathogens jump into new host species and how they subsequently adapt to these novel host environments, as well as how host resistance/tolerance evolves following epidemic outbreak.

Research projects

Examples of projects

1. Rapid host-pathogen co-evolution following an emerging disease outbreak: Mid-1990s, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, a common bacterial pathogen of poultry, jumped into a wild North American songbird, the house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), triggering a devastating epidemic that killed millions of birds. This epidemic is not only of one of the best documented emerging infectious outbreaks in the wild, but it is also one that was left to evolve naturally without any human intervention. As such, it offers a unique opportunity to understand how pathogens jump into new hosts, how they adapt to these novel hosts and how hosts evolve resistance and/or tolerance. We combine experimental work with molecular, immunological and microbiological approaches to study host and pathogen co-evolution over the course of this epidemic. 

Main collaborators on this project:
Prof Geoff E. Hill (Auburn University, USA)
Prof Kevin McGraw (Arizona State University, USA)
Prof Alastair Wilson (University of Exeter, UK) 
Prof Pascal Sirand-Pugnet (INRAE Bordeaux, France)
Dr Lucy Weinert (University of Cambridge, UK)
Dr Cedric Berger (Cardiff University, UK)

2. Climate change and wildlife pathogens - insights from an altitudinal gradient​: Emerging diseases are expected to increase under climate change as pathogens colonise new areas and infect new host populations. Empirical tests of these changes, however, are difficult to execute without confounding influences. We examine how climate change might affect the interaction between malaria parasites and their avian hosts in the French Pyrenees, where altitude (and hence climate), but not habitat or day length, varies significantly over short distances. We compare the prevalence, species richness and transmission seasonality of malaria parasites in four closely monitored nest-box populations of great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus); these populations are located over short geographical distances (4-16km) and at various altitudes (400-1600m) of the Pyrenees Mountains. 

Main collaborators on this project:
Dr Alexis Chaine (Station d'Ecologie Experimentale de Moulis, CNRS, France)
​Prof Andy Russell (University of Exeter, UK)
Dr Joshua Lynton-Jenkins (Animal & Plant Health Agency, UK)

3. Infectious disease introduction to a remote archipelago: Populations introduced to novel pathogens are often the most vulnerable and can suffer a high cost. Such was the case when Plasmodium relictum was introduced to Hawaii, contributing to the extinction of dozens of endemic bird species. We aim to understand how pathogens become established in novel populations by studying their introduction to Darwin’s finch species in the Galápagos. This isolated archipelago has evolved a unique avifauna. However, over the past 200 years humans have facilitated the introduction of two key pathogens; avian pox (Avipoxvirus) and avian malaria (Haemosporidia). By screening for these diseases, we aim to determine their prevalence, distribution, and potential costs in these naive hosts. This effort will help reveal emerging threats to iconic bird species within a unique UNESCO world heritage site.

Main collaborators on this project:
Prof Jaime Chaves (San Francisco State University, USA/University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador) 
Dr Joshua Lynton-Jenkins (Animal & Plant Health Agency, UK)

4. Barcoding Galapagos: Nearly 200 years ago, the unique biota of Galapagos inspired one of the greatest scientific revolutions in history – Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Today, this Natural World Heritage site (est.1976) and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (est.1984) also inspires pioneering models of sustainability, conservation and eco-tourism. Such models are celebrated for their long-term solutions to existing tensions between the preservation of biodiversity and the social-economic well-being of local inhabitants. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed their vulnerability to short-term perturbation. We trained and employed >80 naturalist guides to catalogue the biodiversity of Galapagos. This ‘Barcode of Life’ project will ensure that: (1) the genetic profile of Galapagos is documented so that the direct and indirect impacts of environmental perturbations can be quantified; and (2) naturalist guides receive immediate capacity building employment. Our aim is to help guide future attempts at using locally-driven research to improve the socio-economic well-being and resilience of key workers in the eco-tourism industry.

Read more: 
https://barcodegalapagos.com/en/home/
https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/our-work/projects/barcode-galapagos/

Main collaborator on this project:
Prof Jaime Chaves (San Francisco State University, USA/University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador)
Prof Diana Pazmino (University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador)
Prof Carlos Mena  (University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador)
Prof Andy Russell (University of Exeter, UK)
Dr Thomas Chaigneau (University of Exeter, UK)
Galapagos Conservation Trust
Agencia de Bioseguridad Galapagos

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Publications

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External Engagement and Impact

Awards/Honorary fellowships

Committee/panel activities

Editorial responsibilities

Invited lectures

Media Coverage

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Teaching

Modules

2023/24

• BIO3401 - Coevolutionary Interactions

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Supervision / Group

Postdoctoral researchers

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