Genotype to Phenotype of the Immune Response Development and Evolutionary Morphogenesis

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Our lab seeks to understand the immediate mechanisms governing immune responses of organisms as well as the evolutionary responses of populations to the selective pressures imposed by pathogens.

We routinely use experimental evolution and GWAS to extract the mechanisms behind immunity in Drosophila melanogaster, varying the route of infection, the nature of the pathogen and its virulence. By changing these variables we can enquire about ultimate mechanisms pertaining to, for example, historical contingency and trade-offs. Simultaneously, we can harness immediate mechanisms by determining the genetic players behind differences in response to pathogen exposure.

Here, we provide a bird’s view of the research carried out in the lab and the way different projects explore these different questions under a shared methodological and conceptual framework.