How evolution shapes virus diversity: lessons learned from mosquitoes and shrews

In today's age of rapid environmental and human-wrought change, questions arise with respect to how biodiversity loss will affect the emergence of pathogens. SARS, avian influenza, and swine flu are high-profile examples of viruses whose distribution and diversity has changed in recent years to impact human health.

Dr. Bennett will demonstrate how the evolutionary ecology of mosquito-borne and zoonotic viruses drives their ongoing diversification in humans and other animals, with specific reference to dengue and hantaviruses.

Speaker: Shannon Benett, California Academy of Sciences