Jason Weckstein

My research combines traditional natural history and modern molecular genetic and systematic biology to examine the evolutionary and coevolutionary histories of birds and their parasites.  I use DNA sequences to reconstruct the evolutionary history of groups of birds and their associated parasite and then compare these evolutionary histories understand how organisms have coevolved with one another.  For example, by comparing the evolutionary histories of birds and their parasites my colleuges and begining to understand the ecological phenomena that allow parasites to switch from one host to another.  We are also gaining a better understanding of how host specificity (how many hosts a parasite can infect) evolves.

A large part of my research program involves student training. Click the following link to see a list of some of my past and recent undergraduate trainees.

To learn more about me and my research, visit my more detailed profile.