Annual Report 2009 - Department of Zoology - University of ...

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) Pathogen and Host Evolution Derek Smith’s group studies the evolution of antigenically variable pathogens, particularly influenza viruses. The team investigates how genetic changes relate to changes in virus phenotype, how structural constraints at the protein level limit virus evolution, how vaccination and human immune response affect viral evolution, how the pathogen and immunity coevolve, how viruses migrate around the world, and how spatio-temporal heterogeneities affect the evolution and epidemiology of the virus. Andrea Manica’s group works on a broad range of evolutionary and ecological questions. A central theme is the explicit modelling of spatial phenomena, from individual movement to metapopulation dynamics. The group investigates how conflicts are solved in groups facing coordination problems, and how territoriality mediates social conflict. A further focus is reconstructing the spread of anatomically modern humans out of Africa over the last 50k years, and clarifying how selection by pathogens has affected this structured metapopulation. Tzo Zen Ang: Territoriality and the stability of social groups of dwarf angelfish Lia Betti: Worldwide patterns of phenotypic and genotypic variability in humans David Burke: Structural bioinformatics algorithms, structure and function prediction of individual protein families Miranda De Graaf: Glycan cartography, evolution of influenza viruses Jennifer Harcourt: Conflicts in group movement coordination in sticklebacks Dan Horton: Antigenic relationships among the lyssaviruses Terry Jones: Antigenic cartography, antibody landscapes, computational biology Björn Koel: Molecular determinants of influenza A virus antigenic evolution Nicola Lewis: Equine influenza antigenic cartography Aaron Lobo: Spatial and temporal trends in bycatch from shrimp trawling 2009’s Swine Flu Pandemic Colin Russell 21 Anna Ludi: Antigenic cartography to quantify the antigenic relationship of type A foot-and-mouth disease variants Ana Mosterin: Vaccine efficacy evaluation Jennifer Oates: Territory size and the maintanance of honesty in cleaner-client interactions Nouar Qutob: Worlwide patterns of diversity in human disease resistance genes Colin Russell: Evolution and epidemiology of antigenically variable pathogens Kyle Sutherland-Cash: Modelling protein-glycan interactions of influenza viruses and computational chemistry Elizabeth Tyler: Neutral theory applied to coral reefs Mario Ventresca: Computationally intelligent, machine learning and statistical techniques for understanding adaptive processes Chris Whittleston: Development of molecular simulation methods, the relationship between viral fitness and antigenic evolution of influenza The 2009 H1N1 pandemic was both a major public health crisis and a rare opportunity to watch as a “new” virus spreads through the human population around the world. The situation was akin to getting to observe the introduction of a new invasive species into a virgin island population. These were frantic times with everyone in the influenza public health and scientific communities doing everything possible to understand the new virus and all the members of the Pathogen Evolution group were on the front lines. Each year, our group is involved in the World Health Organization’s selection of strains for the flu vaccine--as the virus evolves, the strains of flu in the vaccine need to be updated. Given our strong links with the WHO, as soon as the first cases of swine flu were detected in the US, we were called on to work closely with colleagues at the US CDC to analyze the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of the viruses. The first investigations were to analyze the origins of the virus, the phenotypic variation of the then current isolates, and whether a single virus vaccine would be likely to protect against the emerging strains. The results of these investigations were immediately disseminated for public health purposes and were also published in the scientific literature within one month of the emergence of the virus. We were further involved in emergency research relating to the pandemic including multiple meetings at WHO, direct consultations with the WHO Director General, and Derek Smith’s briefing of US President Barack Obama‘s scientific advisors. Though the pandemic is thankfully over from a public health perspective, the exciting scientific opportunities to understand this development remain: As the first influenza pandemic in a generation, this is will be our closest look to date at influenza virus evolution as the virus transitions from infecting an almost entirely susceptible population to one that is increasingly immune and from which the virus must evolve to escape. Reference Garten RJ, et al (2009). Antigenic and genetic characteristics of swine-origin 2009 A(H1N1) influenza viruses circulating in humans, Science 325(5937): 197-201
Evolution and Diversity Much of the research in this group is built around the collections of the Museum of Zoology and the interests of its curators. Major themes are the origin and radiation of tetrapods, the ecology and evolutionary genetics of invertebrates as well as ‘Evo-Devo’, the relationship between the processes of development and evolution. a) Vertebrate Evolution and Morphology The groups of Jenny Clack and Rob Asher focus on the phylogeny and adaptations of living and extinct species, including (for example) endemic African mammals, insectivoran-grade mammals, ruminants, and equids. Projects now underway by group members pertain to several subjects, including the evolution of ruminant artiodactyls in the Spanish Miocene, the history of horse domestication, the timing of dental eruption in endemic African mammals, and the distribution of vertebral anomalies in southern placental mammals. Jenny works on the origin and early evolution of tetrapods, and Late Palaeozoic faunas in general. Her work has concentrated on Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous tetrapods, looking at the evolution of terrestrial adaptations. She and her students and collaborators have also worked on Devonian and Carboniferous fish faunas. Currently her group members are working on the evolution of terrestrial locomotion using computer modeling and biomechanical simulation software, and the evolution of chondrichthyans in the Carboniferous. Eva Bärmann: Ruminant evolution and morphology Nick Crumpton: Osteological correlates of sensation in mammals Lionel Hautier: Axial skeletal development; evolution of rodents 22 Stephanie Pierce: Evolution of terrestrial locomotion in vertebrates Kelly Richards: Carboniferous chondrichthyan faunas of the UK, especially Derbyshir Vera Warmuth: Evolutionary history of modern horses b) Invertebrate Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics To understand the origins of biodiversity, research in this group focuses on the invertebrates in order to analyse evolution at the population and species level. Chris Jiggins studies the evolution of wing patterns among tropical butterflies. Convergent evolution, such as mimicry, offers the opportunity to ask whether the same genes, or the same kinds of genetic changes are involved repeatedly when different populations undergo similar evolutionary changes. William Foster studies the ecology and evolution of aphids, and the diversity of invertebrates living in the tropical forests. Richard Preece studies land snail diversity, both in the present and in the context of climate change over the last million years. Simon Baxter: Genetic basis of adaptation in Lepidoptera Tom Fayle: Species interactions in tropical ant communities Tim Cockerill: The influence of landscape complexity on parasitoid communities in oil palm plantations Richard Merrill: Genetic basis of butterfly patterning and mate preference Johanna Darlington: Ecology and phylogeny of African fungus-growing termites Kalsum binti Mohd Yusah : The structure of tropical highcanopy ant communities Henry Disney: Systematics and evolutionary relationships of the Diptera, particularly Phoridae Nicola Nadeau: Evolutionary genetics of wing colour polymorphism in Heliconius melpomene Farnon Ellwood: The structure of tropical arthropod communities Carolina Pardo: Developmental genetics of mimicry
Page 1 and 2: Department of Zoology Annual Report
Page 3 and 4: Malcolm Burrows FRS, Professor of Z
Page 5 and 6: Balfour & Newton Library The Balfou
Page 7 and 8: (a set of cards highlighting object
Page 9 and 10: Mathematical Biology (192 students)
Page 11 and 12: Manica, A, FK McMeechan & WA Foster
Page 13 and 14: Behaviour and Behavioural Neuroscie
Page 15 and 16: Mary Caswell Stoddard: Avian colour
Page 17 and 18: c) Control of DNA Replication The i
Page 19 and 20: Tulay Atamert: Fly stocks maintenan
Page 21: Population and Community Ecology Ou
Page 25 and 26: Awards and Prizes Michael Akam Linn
Page 27 and 28: Darwin’s ‘On the origin of spec
Page 29 and 30: Senior Assistant Curator of Malacol
Page 31 and 32: Krude, Dr T. Cancer Research UK, 20
Page 33 and 34: Champagne, F. A., Curley, J. P., Sw
Page 35 and 36: Harcourt, J. L., Ang, T. Z., Sweetm
Page 37: Stevens, M., Winney, I. S., Cantor,

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