About
Jaap de Roode is Samuel C. Dobbs Professor in the Department of Biology at Emory University. His research examines ecological and evolutionary dynamics of host-parasite systems, using monarch butterflies and their protozoan parasites as model organisms.
Key investigations include virulence evolution mediated by environmental factors like host plants, self-medication behaviors in infected hosts, and local adaptation in host-parasite coevolution. The lab integrates experimental, genomic, and theoretical approaches to study disease transmission and resistance mechanisms.
Research has revealed how milkweed medicinal compounds influence parasite virulence and host recovery, providing insights into evolutionary medicine frameworks. Current work also explores social immunity in insect societies and climate change impacts on disease dynamics.
