Biography

My research spans the fields of disease ecology and migration biology, drawing on theories and techniques from physiological ecology, community ecology, and molecular biology.

I'm interested in a range of questions, including:

• How parasites, symbionts, and their genetic material (think antimicrobial resistance genes) are transmitted and maintained in wildlife
• The impact of parasites and symbionts on animal performance
• How environmental disturbance alters animal movements and infection
• The ecological consequences of changed movement and/or infection patterns

I'm a generalist when it comes to study system – waterfowl and avian influenza viruses across Northern Europe, amphibians with trematode parasites in the western United States, shorebirds of the East-Asian-Australasian Flyway and their viruses, intestinal parasites, and gut microbiota, and seagulls with viruses and antimicrobial resistant bacteria here in Wollongong. I am currently interested in extending these studies to better understand how external stressors, such as habitat modification and food shortages influence movement behaviour and resilience to additional stressors.