The Hall research group investigates the evolutionary genetics of life's big challenges – sex, death and disease. Every organism faces the same difficulty of finding a partner, fighting off pathogens, and coping with old age – but some are better at it than others. Projects include understanding how host and pathogen genes interact to influence the severity of infectious disease; unraveling how the ecology of an organism shapes the evolution of lifespan and ageing; and, contrasting the role of males and females in the evolution of pathogen virulence. These projects make use of a variety of species of Daphnia, commonly known as the water-flea. They are small crustaceans that inhabit a range of freshwater habitats, from coastal rock-pools to alpine lakes, and are found throughout Australia and the rest of the world. For more information, go to www.mattdhall.com.
