Host-Associated Microbiomes

Channel Island Foxes

​Following our previous research on   the microbiome & disease in Santa Catalina Island foxes, we characterized the host-associated microbiome across all six subspecies of Channel Island foxes.

Collaborating Organizations:
Friends of the Island Fox, Catalina Island Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, US Navy, US National Park Service, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Smithsonian Institution, Princeton University

(Photo Credit: Ian Shive)

Island Spotted Skunks

Island foxes & island spotted skunks are the top two terrestrial carnivores  in California's Channel Islands. To better understand their ecology, we compared island fox & skunk microbiomes across two islands.

Collaborating Organizations:
Friends of the Island Fox, The Nature
Conservancy, US National Park Service,
​Smithsonian Institution, Princeton University
​
(Photo Credit: Adam Dillon)

Black-footed Ferrets

We explored the role of commensal microbial communities  in gastro-intestinal & reproductive health in black-footed ferrets managed by partnering organizations in the BFF Species Survival Plan program.

Collaborating Organizations:
Smithsonian Institution, George Mason University, National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Prairie Wildlife Research, US Fish & Wildlife Service

(Photo Credit: Michael Lockhart / USFWS)

Environmental Microbiomes

Urban Watershed Ecosystems

We characterized the bacterial and fungal communities across terrestrial and aquatic habitats found within Four Mile Run Park in Alexandria, VA to establish a baseline of the area's microbial natural history.
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Collaborating Organizations:
Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation,
​Georgetown University's Regents STEM Scholars Program

(Photo Credit: Alexandra DeCandia)

Urban Gardens at Georgetown

We quantified bacterial, fungal, plant, and animal diversity across three garden types found at Georgetown University's Hilltop campus: Hoya Harvest Garden, Urban Herbs, and landscaped grass patches. 

Collaborating Organizations:
The Earth Commons, Georgetown University Medical Center,
Georgetown University's Regents STEM Scholars Program

​(Photo Credit: Alexandra DeCandia)

Epigenetic Gene Regulation

Male Infertility Under Human Care

Black-footed ferrets under human care exhibit reduced reproductive success compared to their wild-born counterparts. We first explored the role of DNA methylation in driving these differences across three tissue-types (blood, testes, & sperm) and then did a deep dive into changes in sperm DNA methylation.

Collaborating Organizations:
Smithsonian Institution,
​George Mason University,
​US Fish and Wildlife Service

(Photo Credit: Kim Fraser / USFWS)

Immune Dysfunction Under Human Care

Critically endangered black rhinoceros exhibit complex disease syndromes under human care. To better understand (and subsequently mitigate) these syndromes, we performed metabolomic profiling and are currently exploring differences in epigenetic gene regulation between ex situ rhinos and their wild counterparts.

Collaborating Organizations:
Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute,
International Rhino Foundation,
Numerous Partnering Zoos (Sample Donation)

(Photo Credit: WWF)

Wildlife Genetics & Genomics

Genetic Pedigree Reconstruction

We reconstructed the pedigree of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves using genome-wide data. This allows us to explore the genetics underlying phenotypic traits such as aggression  & disease severity.

Collaborating Organizations:
US National Park Service,
Princeton University,
​University of California Los Angeles

(Photo Credit: Dan Stahler / NPS)

Genomics Underlying Disease

We discovered that genomic variation inversely correlates with disease severity in Yellowstone National Park wolves. We further identified 410 genomic variants associated with severe sarcoptic mange symptoms.

Collaborating Organizations:
US National Park Service,
Princeton University,
​Pennsylvania State University

(Photo Credit: Jacob W. Frank / NPS)

Urban Colonization Ecology

We characterized the genetic      effects of urban colonization in two populations of canids: coyotes colonizing New York City, NY, USA      & red foxes colonizing Zurich, Switzerland.
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Collaborating Organizations:
Princeton University, Fordham University, American Museum of Natural History, Mianus River Gorge, University of Zurich, Natural History Museum Fribourg, National Institutes of Health
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​(Photo Credit: L. Hamelbeck-Galle/stadtwildtiere.at)