Research Projects
Anti-Bd Probiotic Treatments
The recently emerged fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is decimating fungal pathogens all over the globe. There is increasing evidence that the microbes that live on amphibian skin have the potential to provide some protection from this pathogen. I am working on translating some exciting lab work into a useable conservation tool that can help save amphibian population in the wild. Much of this work has been in the boreal toad system, a declining high elevation amphibian in Colorado.
The recently emerged fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is decimating fungal pathogens all over the globe. There is increasing evidence that the microbes that live on amphibian skin have the potential to provide some protection from this pathogen. I am working on translating some exciting lab work into a useable conservation tool that can help save amphibian population in the wild. Much of this work has been in the boreal toad system, a declining high elevation amphibian in Colorado.
Captivity and the Animal Microbiome
The earth is in the midst of a mass-extinction event, and conservation biologists are dependent on reintroductions and assurance populations to prevent even more species from disappearing. Over the last few decades, an enormous body of evidence has emerged documenting the ubiquity and importance of host-associated microbial communities. I am interested in investigating the impacts of the captive environment on the microbiome and the potential implications of any shifts.
The earth is in the midst of a mass-extinction event, and conservation biologists are dependent on reintroductions and assurance populations to prevent even more species from disappearing. Over the last few decades, an enormous body of evidence has emerged documenting the ubiquity and importance of host-associated microbial communities. I am interested in investigating the impacts of the captive environment on the microbiome and the potential implications of any shifts.
Mucus Chemistry and the Amphibian Microbiome
Understanding the factors that determine what microbial taxa inhabit a host environment is a central question in microbial ecology and all of its potential applications. The amphibian skin microbiome is a great system to ask important ecological questions about host-associated microbial communities because of the ease of sampling a microbe rich mucosal surface, the strong impact of host species identity, the short generation time of many hosts, and the culturability of the dominant microbial taxa. I am interested in investigating the chemical mechanisms by which amphibian hosts control their microbial communities.
Understanding the factors that determine what microbial taxa inhabit a host environment is a central question in microbial ecology and all of its potential applications. The amphibian skin microbiome is a great system to ask important ecological questions about host-associated microbial communities because of the ease of sampling a microbe rich mucosal surface, the strong impact of host species identity, the short generation time of many hosts, and the culturability of the dominant microbial taxa. I am interested in investigating the chemical mechanisms by which amphibian hosts control their microbial communities.