I research microbial dynamics of human-mediated ecosystems. I’m interested in the microbes of the built environment and the human microbiome at the intersection of human health. I use high throughput sequencing technology, immunological biomarkers, and multivariate modeling to address my research questions. I am currently collaborating with the Shuar Health and Life History Project which investigates the effects of market-integration on indigenous health in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
I am currently a PhD student with the Department of Anthropology with interdisciplinary ties to the Institute of Ecology and Evolution.
Contact: alese@uoregon.edu Twitter: @MicrobeMagick
Education
BA, Biology, Macalester College (2009)
MSc, Biological Anthropology, University of Oregon (2014)
Skills
Computer Programming (Qiime, Python)
Microbiology Laboratory Techniques
Spanish
Birth Doula
Clinical Herbalist