The goal of this project was to better understand the role of early-life diet and gut microbiota in shaping how organisms respond to parasites. This research used box-nesting birds naturally infested with parasitic blowfly larvae (Protocalliphora sialia) that feed on nestling blood to explore the relationships between dietary macronutrients, gut microbiota, immunity, and parasitism. Nestling diet was manipulated by hand-feeding nestlings either water (control) or a high-lipid or high-protein diet, and gut microflora were experimentally manipulated by dosing offspring with an oral antibiotic. Our findings suggest that dietary macronutrients can affect interactions between nestlings and parasitic blowflies, however these effects appear to be dependent on gut microbiota composition. Specifically, we found that nestlings fed a high-lipid diet with antibiotic-disrupted gut microbiota had significantly more parasites than nestlings fed a high-lipid diet without gut disruption. Additionally, nestlings fed a high-lipid diet with antibiotic-disrupted gut microbiota also had significantly more parasites than nestlings fed water or a high-protein diet regardless of experimental gut disruption treatments. Gut microbiota and host gene expression data suggest that disruption of the microbiome in birds supplemented with a high-lipid diet might affect lipid metabolism and alter systemic inflammation which is a key host mechanism for limiting ectoparasite access to blood. This work increases our understanding of how diet quality and gut microbiota interact to shape nestling health and host-parasite interactions.

As a PRFB fellow, I gained expertise in a new study system, acquired new bioinformatics skillsets, disseminated my research at three international conferences, and gained additional experience in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. Specific outcomes include the training and mentorship of eight undergraduate and post-baccalaureate mentees in field methods, data management, molecular and statistical methods, science communication, and scientific writing. Mentees presented their research at conferences, received intramural scholarships and research funding, successfully gained entrance to graduate school, and two students are first authors on recently published manuscripts. In addition to student involvement in research, I designed and led multiple career development workshops. First, I partnered with the UConn Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS) chapter to run a skill-based workshop titled "From the field to the lab: using molecular methods to understand ecology." This workshop gave undergraduate students hands-on experience with PCR and gel electrophoresis techniques by analyzing ecological samples collected from my research project. Many participants from this workshop have since conducted their own independent research projects and are confidently utilizing molecular skills to explore diverse biological questions. I also led a workshop that gave students background on and experience with coding models and making figures in R and co-led two discussion panels for undergraduate students on graduate school and STEM career paths. Finally, I helped run an interactive activity booth for K-12 students and their families at UConn's Parasite Day where students participated in a "What's in my nest?" activity and learned how to identify common bird ectoparasites. The research and mentorship skills developed throughout my PRFB helped me achieve my career goal of obtaining a tenure-track faculty position at Miami University. My future lab will investigate the social and environmental factors that shape host behavioral, physiological, and nutritional defenses against pathogens and parasites.

Last Modified: 05/30/2024
Modified by: Ashley Love