Labs

The Animal Disease Lab investigates the ecology of parasitism and disease in vertebrates by studying the ecological, physiological and evolutionary aspects of host-parasite interactions. The lab has an environmental chamber and is equipped with dissecting microscopes, microscope cameras, and a -80 °C ultrafreeze, as well as additional equipment for ornithological, herpetological and wildlife field research. An integrative approach is employed with methodologies borrowed from field ecology, comparative physiology, ecological immunology, evolutionary biology and population genetics. Especially, the lab focuses on studying human influence on natural ecosystems, including how habitat fragmentation, global climate change and emerging pathogens impact global biodiversity and ecosystem function.