Lisa Belden - PI

Lisa has broad interests, but is focusing most of her current efforts on understanding trematode dynamics in natural wildlife populations and delving into the world of amphibian microbial symbionts.

Education: BA University of Montana, PhD Oregon State University

Myra Hughey - Post-doc

Myra is heading up our new project in Panama examining structure-function relationships in amphibian skin bacterial communities across a chytrid gradient. Her PhD was focused on understanding community dynamics within red-eyed treefrog egg clutches, which are used as a resource base by numerous invertebrates.

Education: BS Loyola University, PhD Boston University

Website

Jeni Walke- Ph.D. Student

Jeni's research links microbial ecology, disease, and community ecology. Specifically, she seeks to understand the role of microbial symbionts in the innate immunity of amphibians and the effects of environmental conditions on disease outcome. Her research on amphibian skin microbial ecology is driven by the need to understand and control global amphibian declines and extinctions, especially in terms of disease outbreaks.

Matthew Becker- Ph.D. Student

Matt is studying amphibian microbial symbionts. His primary goal is to identify a potential probiotic for Panamanian golden frogs in collaboration with Brian Gratwicke at the Smithsonian. He's also addressing some interesting ecological questions in amphibain skin microbe communities, including examining the impacts of disturbance on these communities.

Sally Zemmer- Ph.D. Student

Sally's research interests include disease ecology, freshwater ecology and conservation biology. For her dissertation research, she is investigating the infection dynamics of a freshwater trematode that uses a succession of three hosts to complete its life cycle. She is interested in the interactions between community composition and disease dynamics, as well as the fitness costs of trematode infection in amphibian intermediate hosts. She hopes her research in this system will help elucidate the mechanisms that regulate disease dynamics in natural systems.

Jennie Wyderko- M.S. Student

Jennie is working on host-parasite interactions in the Metagonimoides oregonensis stream-dwelling trematode system. She is particularly interested in understanding the role of host and parasite behavior in modifying infection dynamics.

Amalia and Camilo

The dynamic duo!