Evolution and mechanisms of pathogen avoidance

The research will examine how hosts reduce pathogen contact through two mechanisms: innate avoidance (without prior experience) and learned avoidance (after encountering a pathogen). The first objective is to identify the role of innate avoidance in the evolution of pathogen defense, utilizing experimental evolution and whole-genome sequencing. The second objective is to determine how innate and learned avoidance are integrated to produce effective responses, by studying behavioral and neuronal responses to diverse pathogen strains. The project aims to support the applicant's transition to research independence in genomics, neuroscience, and behavioral biology.