Professor in Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation
My overall focus is on understanding the causes and consequences of the variation that naturally occurs among individuals and populations of organisms. In my group we combine cutting-edge molecular techniques, genetics and genomics, with either extensive health and fitness data gained from natural animal populations, or experiment evolution on model systems, to answer fundamental evolutionary and ecological questions.
In terms of microbial interactions, my work has specifically focused on understanding;
1) The causes, and health and fitness consequences, of individual variation in the gut microbiome
2) The role of the gut microbiome in senescence
3) The role of microbial pathogens in driving evolution within and among host populations
For further details see my website.