We are excited to work with Dr. Myra Hughey, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Vassar College to investigate how salinity alters skin microbial communities and whether this contributes to a change in susceptibility to ranavirus infections experienced by wood frog larvae in high salinity ponds. We received an NSF Research Opportunity Award to fund both field and experimental studies and an undergraduate researcher to address this question, and probe how the microbial community relates to immune responses to ranavirus infections. We will also work with Dr. Robin Warne at Southern Illinois University to look at intestinal microbiome interactions as well.
