Dr. Sarah Knutie, Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
University of Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043
Storrs, CT 06269-3043
E-mail: sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu
Twitter: @SarahKnutie
​Google Scholar Page

Research interests: Disease biology, ecotoxicology, host-microbe interactions, environmental change, immunology, animal behavior 

Education:
Post-doc: Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (2014-2017)
PhD: Biology, University of Utah (2009-2014)
MS: Biology, University of Tulsa (2007-2009)
BS: EEB, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2001-2006)

Favorite things: trips to Minnesota to ​visit her niece, #scicomm on Twitter, and all things (indoor) cats.
Dr. Johanna Harvey, Post-doctoral Researcher
Johanna Harvey completed her dissertation in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University with Dr. Gary Voelker.  She is broadly interested in parasite and host evolution across geographic and environmental gradients. Her dissertation disentangles patterns of diversification and distribution of malaria parasites in birds across the African continent. By examining the influence of climatic data (e.g. rainfall, temperature, etc.) along with the diverse suite of transmitting vectors, she hopes to better understand the distributional patterns of avian malaria parasites across contrasting bioregions. During her post-doc, she is exploring the evolutionary mechanisms of resistance and tolerance in Galápagos birds, such as Darwin's finches, to an introduced ectoparasite Philornis downsi. Specifically, she will be examining expression of candidate genes related to host defenses in response to parasitism. She will also be examining interactions among P. downsi and the skin microbiota, immune response, and fitness of finches. Favorite pastimes include birding, spending time outdoors, and visiting breweries. When it's too cold for that you'll find her watching Netflix and spending as much time as possible with her family, including her two cats, Chewie and Lucy. 
​Google Scholar Page
Grace Vaziri, PhD student
In 2017, Grace Vaziri graduated with a master’s degree from Iowa State University, where she worked with Dr. Jim Adelman. At Iowa State, she researched whether and to what extent gut parasite infection and the microbiota influence the severity of song sparrow’s immune responses to bacterial infection. Grace is especially interested in both asking questions about host-parasite-microbiome interactions, and in using experimental manipulations to assess how these interactions influence disease risk. During her PhD, she plans to conduct both field and laboratory experiments to study infection risk when hosts are faced with a variety of challenges including co-infection with different parasites, anthropogenic stressors such as pollution, and disruptions to the microbiota. She loves working on projects that use molecular biology and bioinformatics to explore eco-immunological concepts on animals in the wild (especially when she gets to do fieldwork!). Some of her favorite pastimes include running with her dog, watching anything produced by The Bachelor franchise, and reading, particularly books written by and about women.

Lauren Albert, Undergraduate Researcher in EEB
Lauren is a junior at the University of Connecticut majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and minoring in Environmental Studies. Her interests include disease ecology, with a focus on how environmental change affects host-parasite ecology. In the Knutie Lab, she is studying the effect of temperature on avian developmental immunity to parasitic flies in Northern Minnesota.  Lauren hopes to one day conduct research in Southeast Asia to help communities impacted by transmissible diseases caused by vectored parasites. Lauren is also a Women in STEM (WiSTEM) mentor through the UConn Women's Center. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, printmaking, swimming in lakes, and listening to music.​
Alyssa Addesso, Undergraduate Researcher in MCB
Alyssa is a sophomore honors student at the University of Connecticut majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and minoring in Bioinformatics. Her research interests include applying genetics and bioinformatics to a lab setting and she hopes to go into the field of genetics after she graduates. In the Knutie lab, she is exploring how host microbiota mediates the effect of temperature on disease risk. Outside of the lab, she is a part of Club Running, Honors Across State Borders, and the Outing Club, and loves to read. Furthermore, her life would not be complete without ice cream or puppies!
Our Amazing Collaborators:
Susan Balenger (University of Mississippi)
Charles Brown (University of Tulsa)
Mike Butler (Lafayette College)
Jaime Chaves (Universidad San Francisco de Quito)
Ethan Clotfelter (Amherst College)
Muir Eaton (Drake University)
Kiyoko Gotanda (University of Cambridge)
Kevin Kohl (University of Pittsburgh)
Jennifer Koop (UMass - Dartmouth)
Jeb Owen (Washington State University)
Dominique Potvin (University of the Sunshine Coast)
​Jacques Robert (University of Rochester)
Jason Rohr (University of South Florida)
Maxine Zylberberg (University of California, San Francisco)
Itasca Biological Station
Peregrine Fund (Martin Quiroga and David Anderson)
Galapagos Science Center

...Your name here??
Sarah A. Knutie
University of Connecticut, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043, Storrs, CT 06269-3043
E-mail: saknutie AT gmail.com or sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu
Updated January 2018
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