Broadly, I am interested in what
makes a pathogen successful. I have previously used bioinformatics to
understand the genetic basis of invertebrate host resistance to parasites and
look for signs of selection in response to parasitism in natural host populations.
In my current project, my goal is to investigate how vector-borne
pathogens may change with global warming. In the lab, I will use an in vitro
method to track the evolutionary trajectory of Zika Virus across different
temperatures and hosts. I will also use microbiome samples of field collected
mosquitoes to understand how the mosquito virome may be associated with
different environmental factors, interactions within the microbiome, and
mosquito range expansion. Using wet lab, field, and computational
approaches, I hope to shine a light on how climate change will impact
viruses and vectors alike in the near future.
