Gabrielle Davidson

Dr. Gabrielle Davidson is a Lecturer in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Genomics at the University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences, and a member of the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. She holds a DSc in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cambridge (2014) and a BSc in Zoology from University College London (2009). Her research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary drivers of behavioral and cognitive variation in wild animals, particularly linking gut microbiome dynamics to host cognition and survival. She leads a research group studying great tits and blue tits using RFID technology to track behavior in natural settings.

• Education: DSc Experimental Psychology (Cambridge, 2010-2014), BSc Zoology (UCL, 2006-2009)
• External Roles: Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow (2019-2022), Postdoctoral Researcher at University College Cork (2015-2019)

Her research explores how environmental and social factors influence gut microbiome variation and its cascading effects on cognition, foraging strategies, and fitness in birds. Recent work highlights microbiome impacts on memory and behavior, with applications to conservation and urbanization effects. She is actively involved in science communication, delivering lectures on behavioral ecology and guest lecturing at the University of Cambridge. Her group emphasizes inclusivity and has been featured in media outlets like BBC News and Forbes.

Current research includes microbial interventions to study behavioral effects in birds and the role of microbiome diversity in wild populations. She supervises PhD students and hosts a vibrant lab with ongoing collaborations in ecology and microbiology.