Research Explorer

Project

Pathogen-driven variation in MHC-genes in natural populations under stress: house sparrows as a model
Code
3F012612
Duration
01 October 2012 → 31 August 2014
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Animal biology
    • Microbiology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Endocrinology and metabolic diseases
    • Microbiology
    • Endocrinology and metabolic diseases
    • Microbiology
    • Endocrinology and metabolic diseases
    • Microbiology
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Veterinary medicine
Keywords
MHC house sparrow pathogen-driven selection
 
Project description

In this project, I aim to disentangle the roles of genetic drift and pathogen-driven selection in shaping variation at genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) in urban and rural house sparrows. I therefore combine non-invasive biometric, genetic, immunological and pathogen sampling of free-ranging populations with a common-garden experiment.