I am an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Exeter with broad interests in eco‑evolutionary processes in host–pathogen systems. In the BADGER project, I lead the Genetics and Genomics work package. This work will integrate whole‑genome re‑sequencing data from 2,500 badgers sampled over 50 years with detailed infection and life‑history records to investigate how genetic variation influences bTB susceptibility, disease progression, and onward transmission. We will also examine how inbreeding and gene flow shape disease dynamics, and how bTB has influenced the evolutionary trajectories of the badger population over the past five decades. In addition, we will test key evolutionary hypotheses for the maintenance of genetic variation in disease susceptibility, including resistance vs. reproduction trade‑offs and fluctuating selection.
