Ecology and Evolution of Biological Associations

Diversity • Diversification • Ecological Dynamics • Prediction

“…there are two factors: namely, the nature of the organism and the nature of the conditions. The former seems to be much more the important; for nearly similar variations sometimes arise under, as far as we can judge, dissimilar conditions; and, on the other hand, dissimilar variations arise under conditions which appear to be nearly uniform.” — Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species (1872, p. 32)

About the Lab

Our research investigates how interactions among plants, insects, and microbial associates shape biodiversity and drive evolutionary change. We focus on vector-borne plant pathogens, particularly phytoplasmas, as model systems to understand how host associations emerge and diversify across ecological and ecolutionary scales. By integrating biodiversity data, evolutionary frameworks, and quantitative ecological modeling, we aim to identify the fundamental rules governing host–pathogen associations and to predict patterns of disease risk in natural and managed landscapes. Our work spans from global interaction networks and database development to landscape-level risk modeling and predictive ecology.

Short Bio

I am a Research Scientist in Vector Ecology at the Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Chamapaign. My research focuses on the ecology and evolution of vector-borne plant pathogens, especially phytoplasmas. I combines ecological modeling, biodiversity data, and evolutionary frameworks to understand the emergence of new host–pathogen associations and to assess landscape-level disease risk. I created the global Hemiptera–Phytoplasma–Plant interaction database and an R package for modeling pathogen host switching. I currently leads an NSF-funded project on phytoplasma diversity and vector ecology in natural habitats. I have published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers.