Jasmine Childress
Assistant Professor
Russell Labs
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
E-mail: jnchildress@wisc.edu
Expertise
Parasite ecology, conservation biology, community ecology, wildlife health
Education and Professional Experience
– B.S. Florida Southern College, Biology, 2015
– PhD University of California Santa Barbara in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, 2023
– NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology, Stanford University, 2023-2024
Research
Publications: Google Scholar
Courses Taught
FWE 375: Parasite Ecology
This course emphasizes understanding the ecological and evolutionary principles that shape the interactions between hosts, their parasites, and the environment. Students explore the diversity of eukaryotic parasites affecting predominantly humans and animals with some plant examples. We address topics of parasite biodiversity, disease ecology, conservation biology, and the eco-evo feedbacks between parasite transmission and the natural world. By the end of the course, students will be able to 1) interpret host–parasite interactions from multiple levels of biological organization, ranging from manipulating host behavior to driving nutrient flow through entire ecosystems; 2) evaluate current challenges in parasite management and disease control; and 3) apply conceptual frameworks to understand the role of parasites in natural and human-modified ecosystems