Valerie McKenzie

I love animals and I find disease fascinating. I have a particular interest in amphibians but I also love to study all kinds of diseases of vertebrate animals. I am an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado, where I teach courses in Parasitology and Conservation Biology, mentor student researchers, and facilitate our collective research interests. My own research interests combine the fields of parasitology, disease ecology, and wildlife conservation. I am interested in understanding the ways in which anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., land use, invasive species, aquaculture, wetland management) affect the parasites, pathogens, and symbiotic microbes of wildlife. In the realm of conservation biology, the goal of my research is to identify key factors that lead to shifts in the abundance and distribution of parasites and pathogens in order to offer ecologically informed solutions to mitigate disease threats to vulnerable wildlife. From a theoretical perspective, I am interested in the ways in which the host interacts with microbial symbionts and how those interactions can shape biological functions ranging from disease tolerance to evolution of new traits. In addition to being a scientist, I am also a mom to an amazing 8 year old who has her own passion for animals, fiction, and Colorado Palisade peaches.

July 2018