Back to profile Projects - dr. KD (Kevin) Matson Integrating avian life history, physiology and immune function: Autoimmunity and immunosenescence in a cohort of aging birds. Are natural antibodies at the nexus of phylogeny, life history, and disease reservoir competence? How the environment influences how animal hosts perform in response to parasites, pathogens and other microorganisms At the center of my line of research are host-parasite interactions. Much like the way predators exploit their prey, parasites thrive at the expense... Disease ecology Traditionally, ecologists studied only “healthy animals and plants” while doctors and veterinarians studied the effects of microorganisms...