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AgBirds Disease Ecology
I spent a year as a lab technician for the McGraw Lab at Michigan State University on the project to study avian disease ecology. I was brought on to learn how to study birds, while leading the molecular analysis of the samples.
My primary mentor was Dr. Victor Aguiar de Souza Penha, a postdoctoral researcher at the time who taught me everything about avian disease ecology from mist netting and banding, to checking for diseases like haemosporidian parasites, pox, mycoplasma, and trichomonas in wild birds across agricultural and natural landscapes.
Me and and my mentor Victor with a Cedar Waxwing!
In the Field
In the Lab
Presentations and Results (*More to Come!)
Primary Goal: Unerstand the ecology of haemosporidian parasites in wild birds in agricultural and natural habitats
Werner R, Ahmad Ali S, Seaberg C, Aguiar de Souza Penha V, McGraw K. Relationship between Haemosporidian Parasitemia and Body Condition in Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Poster presented at: Michigan State University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum; 2026 April 17th; East Lansing, MI.
Musters I, Green M, Ahmad Ali S, Aguiar de Souza Penha V, McGraw K. Malaria Parasites and Sex Predict Body Condition in Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) on Farms. Poster presented at: Michigan State University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum; 2026 April 17th; East
Haemoproteus and Plasmodium are widspread blood parasites in birds and are present in many birds without becoming fatal. Often times birds experience a seasonal infection, transmitted via mosquitos or biting midges, and later overcome the infection. However, if the bird is not able to fight off the infection due to environmental stress, it can become chronic, leading to lethargy, anemia, and other malaria-like symptoms that then may lead to death.
Methods:Â Fieldwork included early mornings setting up mist nets, catching and banding birds, then doing a series of health checks (looking for pox, mcyoplasma, trichomonas, measuring tarsus, wing length, glucose etc.), then sampling blood and feathers for analysis back in the lab.
Microscopy
DNA Extraction and PCR
Teaching a Field Course!
Methods:Â At the lab, I stained the blood smears and spent hundreds of hours searching for parasites in the microscope slides. I then led the DNA extraction process and ran PCR to sex the birds as well as confirm the presence of haemosporidian parasites. Additionally, I was invited to help teach molecular techniques in avian disease ecology during a week long field course!
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