Population Biology of Infectious Disease

Evolutionary Genetics & Molecular Epidemiology
My research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions, particularly in insect-pathogen systems. We are currently working on the evolutionary genetics of the innate immune system of aphids and how aphids differentially respond to pathogens, symbionts and commensals.

Molecular Evolution & Evolutionary Genetics

Genetics of Phenotypic Evolution
My research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions, particularly in insect-pathogen systems. We study variation in the ability of hosts to recognize and response to pathogens, and variation in the ability of pathogens to recognize and utilize hosts. Two of our main focal systems include the interaction of aphids, beneficial bacteria, and pathogens, and the interaction of fungus-growing ants with their associated microbial mutualists and pathogens. 

Recent publications:

• Gerardo, N.M., Jacobs, S., Currie, C.R.. & U.G. Mueller. 2006. “Ancient host-pathogen associations maintained by specificity of chemotaxis and antibiosis”. Public Library of Science - Biology (PLOS Biology) 4(8): 1358-1363.
• Gerardo, N.M., U.G. Mueller & C.R. Currie. 2006. “Complex host-pathogen coevolution in the Apterostigma fungus-growing ant-microbe symbiosis”. BMC Evolutionary Biology 6(88).

Population and Comparative Genomics
My research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions, particularly in insect-pathogen systems. We are currently working on the evolutionary genetics of the innate immune system of aphids and how aphids differentially respond to pathogens, symbionts and commensals. We also plan to use comparative genomics to understand the evolution of fungal pathogens that attack the gardens of tropical fungus-growing ants. 

Website: http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Gerardo/index.html