A5072797786- Gut microbiota and health
- Plant and animal studies
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Diversity and Career in Medicine
- Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models
- interferon and immune responses
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Gender Diversity and Inequality
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Career Development and Diversity
University of Liverpool
2017-2025
University of Surrey
2023-2025
University of Oxford
2012-2024
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
2017
Abstract Age is a key parameter in population ecology, with myriad of biological processes changing age as organisms develop early life then later senesce. As often hard to accurately measure non‐lethal methods, epigenetic methods estimation (epigenetic clocks) have become popular tool animal ecology and are developed or calibrated using captive animals known age. However, studies typically rely on invasive blood tissue samples, which limit their application more sensitive elusive species....
Abstract The academic disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) have long suffered from a lack diversity. While in recent years there has been some progress addressing the underrepresentation women STEM subjects, other characteristics that potential to impact on equality opportunity received less attention. In this study, we surveyed 188 early career scientists (ECRs), defined as within 10 completing their PhD, fields ecology, evolutionary biology, behaviour,...
The mammalian gut microbiota influences a wide array of phenotypes which are relevant to fitness, yet knowledge about the transmission routes by microbes colonise hosts in natural populations remains limited. Here, we use an intensively studied wild population wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) examine how vertical (maternal) and horizontal (social) influence composition throughout life.We identify independent signals maternal (sharing taxa between mother her offspring) social predicted...
Abstract Host‐associated microbiomes are thought to play a key role in host physiology and fitness, but this conclusion mainly derives from systems biased towards animal models humans. While many studies on non‐model wild animals have characterised the taxonomic diversity of their microbiomes, few investigated functional potential these microbial communities. Functional ‘omics’ approaches, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics metabolomics, represent promising techniques probe...
Inbred mouse strains, living in simple laboratory environments far removed from nature, have been shown to vary consistently their immune response. However, wildlife populations are typically outbreeding and face a multiplicity of challenges, parasitological otherwise. In this study we seek evidence consistent difference immunological profile amongst individuals the wild. We apply novel method context, using longitudinal (repeated capture) data natural field voles, Microtus agrestis, on...
Host-associated microbiomes are thought to play a key role in host physiology and fitness, but this conclusion mainly derives from studies of handful animal models humans. To test the generality conclusion, non-model wild animals needed. However, whilst microbiome taxonomic diversity has recently received much attention, characterization its functional potential is lagging behind. Functional “omics” approaches, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, represent promising...
Abstract High population density should drive individuals to more frequently share space and interact, producing better-connected spatial social networks. Despite this widely-held assumption, it remains unconfirmed how local generally drives individuals’ positions within wild animal We analysed 34 datasets of simultaneous behaviour in >55,000 individual animals, spanning 28 species fish, reptiles, birds, mammals, insects. >80% systems exhibited strongly positive relationships between...
Individuals differ in the nature of immune responses they produce, affecting disease susceptibility and ultimately health fitness. These differences have been hypothesized to an origin events experienced early life that then affect trajectories development responsiveness. Here, we investigate how early-life expression profiles influence history outcomes a natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis, which are able monitor variation between within individuals through time by repeat...
Abstract The animal immune response has hitherto been viewed primarily in the context of resistance only. However, individuals can also employ a tolerance strategy to maintain good health face ongoing infection. To shed light on genetic and physiological basis tolerance, we use natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis , search for an association between expression transcription factor Gata3, previously identified as marker this system, polymorphism 84 nonimmune genes. Our results...
The genotype of an individual is important predictor their immune function, and subsequently, ability to control or avoid infection ultimately contribute offspring the next generation. However, same genotype, subjected different intrinsic and/or extrinsic environments, can also result in phenotypic outcomes, which be missed controlled laboratory studies. Natural wildlife populations, capture both genotypic environmental variability, provide opportunity more fully understand expression...
Abstract Mammalian gastrointestinal microbiomes are highly variable, both within individuals and across populations, with changes linked to time ageing being widely reported. Discerning patterns of change in wild mammal populations can therefore prove challenging. We used high-throughput community sequencing methods characterise the microbiome field voles ( Microtus agrestis ) from faecal samples collected 12 live-trapping sessions, then at cull. Changes α- β-diversity were modelled over...
Studying the social behaviour of small or cryptic species often relies on constructing networks from sparse point-based observations individuals (e.g. live trapping data). A common approach assumes that have been detected sequentially in same location will also be more likely to come into indirect and/or direct contact. However, there is very little guidance how much data are required for making robust such data. In this study, we highlight sequential trap sharing broadly capture shared...
Superspreaders are recognized as being important drivers of disease spread. However, models to date have assumed random occurrence superspreaders, irrespective whom they were infected by. Evidence suggests though that those individuals by superspreaders may be more likely become themselves. Here, we begin explore, theoretically, the effects such a positive feedback loop on (1) final epidemic size, (2) herd immunity threshold, (3) basic reproduction number, R0, and (4) peak prevalence using...
Higher pathogen and parasite transmission is considered a universal cost of colonial breeding due to the physical proximity colony members. However, this has rarely been tested in natural colonies, which are structured entities, whose members interact with subset individuals differ their infection histories. We use population common guillemots,
Abstract Individuals vary in their immune response and, as a result, some are more susceptible to infectious disease than others. Little is known about the nature of this individual variation natural populations, or which components pathways most responsible, but defining underlying landscape an essential first step understanding drivers ultimately, predicting outcome infection. We describe transcriptome-wide standardised challenge wild field voles. find that genes (hereafter 'markers') can...
Lay summary In the past decade scientific community has been trying to tackle historical underrepresentation of women in science and fact that gender can constitute a barrier career success. However, other characteristics, such as being an ethnic minority or coming from under-privileged background, have received less attention. this study we find ethnicity socioeconomic status impact detrimentally on progression early scientists, despite is more likely be reported barrier. Our data suggest...
Abstract The microbiome is well-known to drive variation in host states (e.g., behaviour, or immunity) that would be expected modulate the spread of infectious disease - but role microbiotal interactions promoting superspreading by individuals poorly understood. Superspreaders are with a strongly disproportionate contribution pathogen transmission, and they come two forms. Supershedders transmit infection more because shed higher levels pathogen. Supercontacters have larger number social...
Abstract Studying the social behaviour of small or cryptic species often relies on constructing networks from sparse point-based observations individuals (e.g. live trapping data). Such an approach assumes that have been asynchronously detected in same location will also be more likely to interacted. However, there is very little guidance how much data are required for making robust co-trapping networks. In this study, we propose broadly assume captures shared space use (and, subsequently,...
Abstract The genotype of an individual is important predictor their immune function, and subsequently, ability to control or avoid infection ultimately contribute offspring the next generation. However, same genotype, subjected different intrinsic and/or extrinsic environments can also result in phenotypic outcomes, which be missed controlled laboratory studies. Natural wildlife populations, capture both genotypic environmental variability, provide opportunity more fully understand...
Abstract Apicomplexans are a protozoan phylum of obligate parasites which may be highly virulent during acute infections, but also persist as chronic infections appear to have little fitness cost. Babesia microti is an apicomplexan haemoparasite that, in immunocompromised individuals, can cause severe, potentially fatal disease. However, its natural host, wild field voles ( Microtus agrestis ), it exhibits that no detectable impact on survival or female fecundity. How damage minimized, and...
Abstract Individuals differ in the nature of immune responses they produce, affecting disease susceptibility and ultimately health fitness. These differences have been hypothesised to an origin events experienced early life that then affect trajectories development responsiveness. Here we investigate influences on expression profiles using a natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis , which are able monitor variation between within individuals though time by repeat (longitudinal)...