Amy Pedersen (Edinburgh, Investigator)
I am a disease ecologist with a primary interest inthe role that parasites and pathogens play in the wild. The central aim of my research is to better understand how parasites and pathogens impact the fitness and dynamics of their wild hosts, specifically by recognising and understanding the complexities that are inherent in natural systems. My research approach integrates an array of methodologies (experiments, modelling, statistical methods, meta-analysis, lab and field studies) to maximise the potential of ecological and evolutionary studies to address key questions about host-parasite interactions, including how to improve host health and develop effective disease control strategies. My role in this project will be to help link and interpret the complex gut ecosystem – specifically in understanding interactions between helminths, coccidial protozoans, the microbiota and the hosts’ immune response and then translating how these interactions impact host fitness and parasite transmission.