How interactions between spatial structure and genetic diversity impact virus evolution
Mike Boots, Professor
Integrative Biology
Closed. This professor is continuing with Spring 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Fall 2024.
Interactions between infectious diseases and their hosts underpin a vast array of ecological and evolutionary dynamics. These antagonistic biotic interactions may influence processes like why organisms sexually reproduce and migrate and infectious disease evolution is important for many applied problems like antibiotic resistance, disease emergence, and agriculture. Many factors impact the evolution of pathogens including the spatial structure of transmission and the genetic diversity of hosts. This project aims to examine how these two factors (space and diversity) interact to influence the evolution of infectious diseases.
The Boots Lab uses the Plodia interpunctella (Indian Meal Moth) and granulosis virus system as a model lab system that has proven to be a great system to test trade-offs in resistance evolution and virulence evolution. The system allows us to do population level ecological and evolutionary studies in a laboratory setting. This project uses the moth and virus model system to test how the spatial structuring of genetic diversity alters pathogen host range evolution. The project uses experimental evolution methods, where we evolve virus in the lab under different conditions to test how different environmental conditions alter evolutionary trajectories.
Role: The student(s) will assist in the final stages of a project using experimentally evolution techniques to test how virus evolves on genetically homogenous and genetically diverse host populations with different degrees of host mixing. They will be responsible for helping to maintain moth populations in the lab, assisting with virus infectivity and productivity assays, and generally contributing to lab maintenance. They will therefore be trained in insect husbandry, sterile microbial techniques, and concepts related to experimental evolution methodology and infectious disease evolution.
Qualifications: Qualifications: The applicant(s) must be organized, reliable, independent, and have good communication skills. The ability to reliably commit to regular hours is especially important for this project. Curiosity and enthusiasm about biotic interactions, (co-)evolution, and/or infectious diseases is a must. Previous research experience is a plus, but not required. Biology-related majors would be preferred.
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: Valley Life Sciences Building 5015
Related website: http://bootslab.org
Biological & Health Sciences