Andrew Read, Ph.D.
- Professor of Biology & Entomology and
- Eberly College of Science Distinguished Senior Scholar
Biology Department - 517 Mueller Lab
University Park, PA 16802
Websites:
Education:
- D.Phil., University of Oxford (1985-1989) [Supervisor: Prof. Paul Harvey FRS]
- BSc(Hons) 1st Class in Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand (1981-1984)
Biography:
Department Focus Areas:
Disease Ecology and Biology
Research Interests:
Ecology and evolutionary genetics of infectious disease
Research:
My research focuses on the ecology and evolutionary genetics of infectious disease, including:
Evolution and virulence
- How do public and animal health programs affect pathogen evolution (particularly the evolution of virulence)? Having developed a theoretical framework, we are now testing its predictions in laboratory experimental systems.
- To what extent are parasite virulence and host resistance environmentally determined?
- How does natural selection resolve the trade-off pathogens face between replication within a host and transmission from it?
- How does host resistance affect pathogen evolution?
- Why is malaria not a more serious disease?
Interactions between pathogens
- When and how do malaria clones coinfecting a host compete? What determines the outcome of competition? How does competition affect clone fitness? How does competition affect the evolution of virulence and other traits?
- Is within-host competition seen in mixed Trypanosome clone infections?
Phylodynamics and the evolution of immunity
- How does host immunity shape parasite life history strategies?
- Do genetically diverse infections make hosts sicker or more infectious?
- When and how does pathogen-imposed selection favour increased host resistance?
- How do immune systems evolve?
Control strategies
- Will vaccination and chemotherapy prompt the evolution of more virulent pathogens?
- Can entomopathogenic fungi be used to produce a cheap organic pesticide for sustainable malaria control?
- Can we make evolution-proof drugs, vaccines and insecticides?
- Much disease is immunopathology. Why does natural selection allow self-harm?
More information about my research, from my group website
Awards:
Fellowship Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (Institute of Advanced Studies) (2006-7)
Fellowship of Royal Society of Edinburgh (2003)
Scientific Medal, Zoological Society of London (1999)
Young Investigator Award, American Society of Naturalists (1991)
Thomas Henry Huxley Award, Zoological Society of London (1991)
Commonwealth Scholarship to Merton College, Oxford University (1985-1988)
Selected Publications:
Thomas MB & Read AF (2007) Can fungal biopesticides control malaria? Nature Microbiology Reviews 5: 377-383
Råberg L, de Roode JC, Bell AS, Stamou P, Gray D & Read AF (2006) The role of immune-mediated apparent competition in genetically diverse malaria infections. Am. Nat. 168: 41-53.
Graham AL, Allen JE & Read AF (2005) Evolutionary causes and consequences of immunopathology. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics 36: 337-397
de Roode JC, Pansini R, Cheesman SJ, Helinski MEH, Huijben S, Wargo AR, Bell AS, Chan BHK, Walliker D, & Read AF (2005) Virulence and competitive ability in genetically diverse malaria infections. PNAS 102: 7624-7628
Blanford S, Chan BHK, Jenkins N, Sim D, Turner RJ, Read AF, & Thomas MB (2005) Fungal pathogen reduces potential for malaria transmission. Science 308: 1638-1641
Mitchell, S.E., Rogers, E.S., Little, T. & Read, A.F. 2005. Host-parasite and genotype by environment interactions: temperature modifies potential for selection by a sterilising pathogen. Evolution. 59: 70-80.
Research Interests:
- Disease Biology and Ecology:
-
Ecology and evolutionary genetics of infectious disease (Center For Infectious Disease Dynamics)
- Malaria Research:
