Ryan Hechinger

Ryan Hechinger serves as a Professor in the Department of Marine Biology within the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. His research program centers on advancing ecological and evolutionary science through the study of parasites and parasitism, integrating field, laboratory, and theoretical approaches.

Research interests span multiple interconnected domains:

• Parasite Systems: Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of digenean trematodes and other parasites
• Community Interactions: Food web structures, host-parasite relationships, and ecosystem-level impacts
• Theoretical Frameworks: Metabolic theory of ecology, biogeography, and phylogeographic patterns
• Evolutionary Processes: Life history strategies, population genetics, and behavioral adaptations

Dr. Hechinger's laboratory conducts empirical and theoretical investigations across biological scales—from individual host impacts to ecosystem consequences—with emphasis on grounding conceptual models in observable reality. The lab maintains active field operations in coastal wetlands and collaborates on biodiversity documentation efforts, utilizing microscopy, molecular techniques, and computational analysis to explore parasite distribution and function in natural systems.