We’re monitoring the

waterbird population

in the northeast U.s.a

University of Massachusetts’ Nantucket Field Station

We are conducting routine sampling efforts in Massachusetts and Maine; we collect various samples from birds and assess their health during these efforts. The samples collected are then screened for Avian Influenza via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Research Question:

How do viruses cross species barriers and cause outbreaks?

Samples collected during these efforts allow us to study how infectious diseases jump, hop, and spillover from animals into novel hosts. These events are occurring at an unprecedented pace due to human activity. Humans exert strong selective pressures on other species, creating new niches for pathogens to emerge and spread. Studying Avian Influenza in wild birds offers a model system for understanding the natural and anthropogenic drivers of disease emergence and spillover.

Animal field studies are a critical starting point for our work, ranging from international ‘hot’ zones to local field sites where we study the natural history of pathogens. We use field data to study the complex dynamics of spillover transmission using bioinformatics, metagenomics, and statistical modeling. We use lab experiments to characterize the potential for onward transmission to novel hosts and investigate how immunity and microbial activity shape host responses to infection.

TARGET SPECIES

Water birds, such as gulls and ducks, are recognized as the main reservoir species for avian influenza viruses. Mallards, in particular, might offer important insights into the mechanisms that allow birds to survive infection with more pathogenic strains.

  • We catch and release! Captured birds will be released back to their habitat after samples are collected. Samples are taken on-site, so birds are only held for short periods.