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Evolutionary ecology of parasite reproductive strategies

Reference	AF09820
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Andrew Read
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Edinburgh
Department	Inst of Cell, Animal and Population Biol
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	66,412
Status	Completed
Type	Fellowships
Start date	01/02/1998
End date	01/02/2003
Duration	60 months

Abstract

An evolutionary understanding of host-parasite interactions requires an understanding of the selective consequences of responses to infection for both host and parasite. Natural selection should balance the host-inflicted fitness costs of responding to infection (resources, immunopathology) against the parasite-inflicted costs of not doing so. In turn, parasites should counter protective host responses. Using model rodent-parasite systems, I will experimentally analyse host responses in an optimality framework. Appropriate immune manipulations will be used to dissect the fitness costs of infection into the component due to parasite (experienced by a non- responder host) and that due to the responses. This will provide a firm base for a cost- benefit analysis of immunity. I will experimentally determine whether parasite traits not normally considered by immunologists are in fact immune evasion strategies: sex, reproductive restraint and virulence.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Fellowship - Advanced Fellowship (AF) [1995-1998]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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