Start Date
13-2-2023 3:45 PM
End Date
13-2-2023 5:00 PM
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Why are some species susceptible to and capable of transmitting disease-causing pathogens while others are not? Do some species inherently have less effective immune defenses than others? In this presentation, Dr. Downs will explain new research that links the body mass of a species with its capacity to defend against pathogens. Evidence suggests that large and small species experience different disease pressures and physiological constraints leading to the evolution of different immune strategies. This work has implications for understanding disease emergences and dynamics.
Biography
Dr. Cynthia Downs received a doctorate from the University of Nevada is an Assistant Professor of Animal Physiology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Her research program focuses on how physiology is regulated by internal and external processes and how physiological variation within and among species affects ecological processes including disease spread and population dynamics. One of her current research focuses on how body size constrains immune defenses with the goal of building a comparative theory for immune defenses.
Additional Links
ORCID
Big picture immunology: Body size shapes immune strategies
Why are some species susceptible to and capable of transmitting disease-causing pathogens while others are not? Do some species inherently have less effective immune defenses than others? In this presentation, Dr. Downs will explain new research that links the body mass of a species with its capacity to defend against pathogens. Evidence suggests that large and small species experience different disease pressures and physiological constraints leading to the evolution of different immune strategies. This work has implications for understanding disease emergences and dynamics.