Photo by Loren Merrill

The unifying theme of our research is understanding the causes and consequences of parasitism and infectious disease in aquatic ecosystems.

• Why are some hosts susceptible to infection and not others?
• What processes promote or inhibit the spread of parasites and pathogens?
• How will large-scale environmental changes affect infectious disease?

• Are parasites a significant source of mortality for populations?
• When and how does disease affect communities, food webs, and ecosystems?

We ask these questions in a variety of aquatic systems, from estuaries and rivers to lakes and ponds. Our research is increasingly addressing theory within the context of global change, considering how factors such as biodiversity loss, drought, and additional environmental stressors affect disease processes and impacts.

Learn more about the group, our research, and our published science