Clara L. Shaw

Clara L. Shaw is an Assistant Professor at the Swenson College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Duluth. Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of pathogens encountering novel hosts, particularly how environmental conditions influence disease emergence.

• B.A. in Biochemistry, Oberlin College (2010)
• M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Mississippi (2013)
• Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan (2019)

Her work addresses critical questions in disease ecology, including spillover mechanisms and climate change impacts. She uses Caenorhabditis nematodes and their viruses as a model system for experimental studies on pathogen evolution and transmission dynamics.

Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, combining ecology, evolutionary biology, and theoretical modeling to study disease dynamics. Topics include viral spillover, genetic variation in parasites, and environmental drivers of epidemics.

No scientific awards or formal advisees are mentioned in the provided text. Her lab’s work aims to inform strategies for preventing pandemics and understanding pathogen adaptation in changing ecosystems.