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Does the evolutionary potential of disease depend on the form of global change?

And which populations are most at risk?

The Hall Research Group is found at the<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="extlink" href="https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/biological-sciences"> School of Biological Sciences</a> in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="extlink" href="https://www.monash.edu/science">Faculty of Science</a>,&nbsp;Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Organized field research projects focusing on ecological and evolutionary dynamics of host-pathogen interactions in natural environments.

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Collaborative Field Studies

Specialized assistance in analyzing complex biological data using computational tools and statistical methods.

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Data Analysis and Bioinformatics Support

Hands-on workshops exploring the genetics of infection and disease evolution, tailored for students and early-career researchers.

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Evolutionary Genetics Workshops

Initiatives designed to share our research findings with the public through talks, articles, and interactive content.

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Public Engagement and Science Communication

Global change has been linked to the increased occurrence of diseases, but more often any change in the severity or occurrence of disease depends on the form of climate change and specifics of the host-pathogen system. We seek to identity the condition that lead to pathogens or hosts becoming evolutionary winners or losers under warmer conditions.

Global Change theme:

J Lush, CM Sgrò, MD Hall (2024) Anticipating change: The impact of simulated seasonal heterogeneity on heat tolerances along a latitudinal cline Ecology 105 (7), e4359.TE Hector, MS Shocket, CM Sgrò, MD Hall (2024) Acclimation to warmer temperatures can protect host populations from both further heat stress and the potential invasion of pathogens. Global Change Biology 30 (6), e17341.TE Hector, CM Sgrò and MD Hall (2021) Thermal limits in the face of infectious disease: How important are pathogens? Global Change Biology, vol. 27, no. 19, pp. 4469–4480. doi:10.1111/gcb.15761

Key Papers:

Infectious diease along latitudinal clines

Why do males and females vary in their responses to pathogen attacks?

And which sex is likely to drive the spread of disease?

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By using model species like Daphnia and their pathogens, we work at the interface of ecology, evolution, and epidemiology. With backgrounds in quantitative genetics and sex-specific adaptation, we study how global change shapes the health of populations.

We study the evolutionary genetics of sex, death, and disease

Offering post-doctoral fellowships, research assistant roles, and fully-funded PhD projects for qualified candidates from Australia and New Zealand.

Academic Positions and Training

Using Daphnia and their pathogens as model systems to experimentally test hypotheses in infectious disease ecology and evolution.

Experimental Disease Ecology with Daphnia

Investigating the genetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in susceptibility to infectious diseases across diverse species.

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Evolutionary Genetics of Sex and Disease

Are all populations equally at risk from the dual threat of climate change and infection?

Infectious disease in a warming world

Do sex differences in susceptibility drive the evolution of infectious disease?

More than just the sicker sex

Will infection exasperate the effects of pollutants beyond simple lethal limits?

Ecotoxicology meets ecology and evolution

Our Research and Opportunities

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If you’re interested in the work that we do, or joining the group, please get in touch.

Focusing on disease ecology and evolutionary biology studies pertinent to Australia and New Zealand ecosystems and species.

Regional Research Focus

Producing and contributing to high-impact research articles and special journal issues in infectious disease ecology and evolutionary biology.

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Collaborative Scientific Publications

Offering post-doctoral fellowships, research assistant roles, and fully-funded PhD projects to train the next generation of evolutionary ecologists.

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Academic Training and Fellowships

Investigating genetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in disease susceptibility to better understand evolutionary patterns in infectious diseases.

Sharing research findings through blogs, talks, and social media to foster public understanding of infectious disease ecology.

Outreach and Public Engagement

The next round for international PhD scholarships at Monash in Australia are now open (August 31st 2025). Interested in evolutionary ecology, global change, sex differences, and/or infectious disease? Get in touch. There will be Daphnia involved...

Training on mRNA Vaccine Production at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center Scientists from South Africa learn key aspects of the mRNA vaccine production process during a two-week visit to the VRC—part of an ongoing collaboration to share knowledge, expertise, and data to expedite mRNA vaccine production globally. Credit: NIAID https://www.flickr.com/photos/niaid/53108470547/

PhD Scholarships available

Latest news

Lab members indicated in bold<h3>Recent</h3>NJ Butterworth, L Heffernan, MD Hall (2024) Is there a sicker sex? Dose relationships modify male–female differences in infection prevalence. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291, 20232575. PDF. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2575">DOI</a>.J Lush, CM Sgrò, MD Hall (2024) Anticipating change: The impact of simulated seasonal heterogeneity on heat tolerances along a latitudinal cline. Ecology 105 (7), e4359. PDF. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4359">DOI</a>.TE Hector, MS Shocket, CM Sgrò, MD Hall (2024) Acclimation to warmer temperatures can protect host populations from both further heat stress and the potential invasion of pathogens. Global Change Biology 30 (6), e17341. PDF. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17341">DOI</a>.MD Hall, BL Phillips, CR White, DJ Marshall (2024) The hidden costs of resistance: Contrasting the energetics of successfully and unsuccessfully fighting infection. Functional Ecology 38 (4), 714-723. PDF. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14523">DOI</a>.LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, MD Hall (2024) Pharmaceutical pollution alters the cost of bacterial infection and its relationship to pathogen load. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291 (2014), 20231273. PDF. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.1273">DOI</a>.LC Rigby, MD Hall, K Monro, A Uesugi (2024) Evolution of “invasion syndrome” in invasive goldenrod is not constrained by genetic trade‐offs. Evolutionary Applications 17 (7), e13734. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13734">DOI</a>.L Marie-Orleach, MD Hall, L Schärer (2024) Contrasting the form and strength of pre-and postcopulatory sexual selection in a flatworm. Evolution 78 (3), 511-525. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpad227">DOI</a>.<h3>2023</h3>LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, and MD Hall (2023) Can pharmaceutical pollution alter the spread of infectious disease? A case study using ﬂuoxetine. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, vol. 378, no. 1873. PDF. DOI.KC King, MD Hall, and J Wolinska (2023) Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, vol. 378, no. 1873. PDF. DOI.F Ware-Gilmore, M Novelo, CM Sgrò, MD Hall, and EA McGraw (2023) Assessing the role of family level variation and heat shock gene expression in the thermal stress response of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 378, no. 1873. DOI.G Zilio, LS Nørgaard, C Gougat-Barbera, MD Hall, EA Fronhofer, and O Kaltz (2023) Travelling with a parasite: the evolution of resistance and dispersal syndromes during experimental range expansion. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 290, no. 1990. DOI.<h3>2022</h3>LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, and MD Hall (2022) Warmer temperatures limit the eﬀects of antidepressant pollution on life-history traits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 289, no. 1968. PDF. DOI.SAY Gipson, AK Pettersen, L Heﬀernan, and MD Hall (2022) Host sex modulates the energetics of pathogen proliferation and its dependence on environmental resources. The American Naturalist, vol. 199, no. 5, pp. E186E196. PDF. DOI.C Ma, CK Mirth, MD Hall, and MDW Piper (2022) Amino acid quality modifies the quantitative availability of protein for reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal of insect physiology 139, 104050. DOI.<h3>2021</h3>TE Hector, CM Sgrò and MD Hall (2021) Thermal limits in the face of infectious disease: How important are pathogens? Global Change Biology, vol. 27, no. 19, pp. 4469–4480. PDF. DOI.TE Hector, CM Sgrò and MD Hall (2021) Temperature and pathogen exposure act independently to drive host phenotypic trajectories. Biology Letters, 17(6), 20210072. PDF. DOI.LS Nørgaard, G Zilio, C Saade, C Gougat-Barbera, MD Hall, EA Fronhofer, and O Kaltz (2021) An evolutionary trade-off between parasite virulence and dispersal at experimental invasion fronts. Ecology Letters, 24(4), 739–750. DOI.A Radzvilavicius, SA Layh, MD Hall, DK Dowling and IG Johnston (2021) Sexually antagonistic evolution of mitochondrial and nuclear linkage. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 34(5), 757–766. DOI.F Ware-Gilmore, CM Sgrò, Z Xi, HLC DutraI, MJ Jones, K Shea, MD Hall, MB Thomas, and EA McGraw (2021) Microbes increase thermal sensitivity in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, with the potential to change disease distributions. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(7), e0009548. DOI.S Drapes, MD Hall, and BL Phillips (2021) Effect of habitat permanence on life-history: extending the Daphnia model into new climate spaces. Evolutionary Ecology, 35(4), 595–607. PDF. DOI.J Lever, S Drapes, MD Hall, and I Booksmythe (2021) Condition-dependent sexual reproduction is driven by beneﬁts, not costs of sex. Behavioral Ecology, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 1372–1379. DOI.<h3>2020</h3>LS Nørgaard, G Ghedini, BL Phillips and MD Hall (2020) Energetic scaling across different host densities and its consequences for pathogen proliferation. Functional Ecology, 35(2) 475–484. PDF. DOI.TE. Hector, CM. Sgrò, and MD Hall (2020) The influence of immune activation on thermal tolerance along a latitudinal cline. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 33(9), 1224–1234. PDF. DOI.T Laidlaw, TE. Hector, CM. Sgrò, and MD Hall (2020) Pathogen exposure reduces sexual dimorphism in a host’s upper thermal limits. Ecology and Evolution, 10(23), 12851–12859. PDF. DOI.MJ Roast, NH Aranzamendi, M Fan, N Teunissen, MD Hall and Anne Peters (2020) Fitness outcomes in relation to individual variation in constitutive innate immune function. Proceedings B, 287, 20201997. PDF. DOI.AK Pettersen, MD Hall, CR White, and DJ Marshall (2020) Metabolic rate, context-dependent selection, and the competition-colonization trade-off. Evolution Letters, 4(4): 333–334. PDF. DOI.LC Aulsebrook, MG Bertram, JM Martin, AE Aulsebrook, T Brodin, JP Evans, MD Hall, MK O'Bryan, AJ Pask, CR Tyler, and BBM Wong (2020) Reproduction in a polluted world: implications for wildlife. Reproduction 160 (2), R13-R23. PDF. DOI.C Ma, CK Mirth, MD Hall, and MD Piper (2020) Amino acid quality modifies the quantitative availability of protein for reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal of Insect Physiology 5, 104050. PDF. DOI.<h3>2019</h3>LS Nørgaard, BL Phillips, and MD Hall (2019) Infection in patchy populations: Contrasting pathogen invasion success and dispersal at varying times since host colonization. Evolution Letters, 3(5), 555–566. PDF. DOI.MD Hall, J. Routtu and D. Ebert (2019) Dissecting the genetic architecture of a stepwise infection process. Molecular Ecology, 28(17), 3942–3957. PDF. DOI.M Noveo, MD Hall, D Pak, PR Young, EC Holmes, EA McGraw (2019) Intra-host growth kinetics of dengue virus in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. PLoS Pathogens 15 (12), e1008218. PDF. DOI.LS Nørgaard, BL Phillips, and MD Hall (2019) Can pathogens optimise both transmission and dispersal by exploiting sexual dimorphism in their hosts? Biology Letters, 15(6), 1–5. PDF. DOI.T Hector, C Sgrò and MD Hall (2019) Pathogen exposure disrupts an organism’s ability to cope with thermal stress. Global&nbsp;Change&nbsp;Biology, 25(11), 3893–3905. PDF. DOI.SAY Gipson, L. Jimenez and MD Hall (2019) Host sexual dimorphism affects the outcome of within-host pathogen competition. Evolution, 73(7), 1443–1455. PDF. DOI.P Erm, MD Hall, and BL Phillips (2019) Anywhere but here: local conditions motivate dispersal in Daphnia. PeerJ 7, e6599. PDF. DOI.<h3>2018</h3>Hall, MD and Mideo, N (2018) Linking sex differences to the evolution of infectious disease life-histories. Philosophical transactions B, 373 20170431. PDF. DOI.Connallon, T. &amp; Hall, MD (2018) Genetic constraints on adaptation: a theoretical primer for the genomics era. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1422 (1): 65-87. PDF. DOI.Gipson, SAY &amp; Hall, MD (2018) Interactions between host sex and age of exposure modify the virulence transmission trade-off. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 31 (3): 428-437. PDF. DOI.Connallon, T and Hall, MD (2018) Environmental Changes and Sexually Antagonistic Selection. In: eLS. John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd: Chichester. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0028171 PDF. DOI.<h3>2017</h3>MD Hall, G Bento and D Ebert (2017) The evolutionary consequences of stepwise infection processes.&nbsp;Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution, 32 (8): 612-623. PDF. DOI.O Thompson, SAY Gipson&nbsp;and &nbsp;MD Hall (2017) The impact of host sex on the outcome of co-infection.&nbsp;Scientific Reports 7(1):&nbsp;910. PDF. DOI.JC Bachmann, F Cortesi, MD Hall, NJ Marshall, W Salzburger, HF Gante (2017) Real-time social selection maintains honesty of a dynamic visual signal in cooperative fish. Evolution Letters 1 (5): 269-278. PDF. DOI.<h3>2016</h3>SAY Gipson and MD Hall. 2016. The evolution of sexual dimorphism and its potential impact on host–pathogen coevolution.&nbsp;Evolution 70 (5): 959–968. PDF. DOI.T Connallon and MD Hall. 2016. Genetic correlations and sex-specific adaptation in changing environments. Evolution 70(10):&nbsp;2186–2198. PDF. DOI.J Michel, D Ebert and MD Hall. The trans-generational impact of population density signals on host-parasite interactions. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16(1):&nbsp;254. PDF. DOI.D Ebert, D Duneau, MD Hall, P Luijckx, JP Andras, L Du Pasquier and F. Ben-Ami. 2016. A population biology perspective on the stepwise infection process of the bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa in Daphnia.&nbsp;Advances in parasitology 91: 265–310. PDF. DOI.<h3>2015</h3>Clerc, M., D. Ebert, and M. D. Hall. 2015. Expression of parasite genetic variation changes over the course of infection: implications of within-host dynamics for the evolution of virulence. Proc R Soc B 282: 20142820–20142820. PDF. DOI.Roulin, A. C., M. Mariadassou, M. D. Hall, J-C. Walser, C. Haag, and D. Ebert. 2015. High genetic variation in resting stage production in a metapopulation: Is there evidence for local adaptation? Evolution 69(10):&nbsp;2747–2756.&nbsp;PDF. DOI.JC Havird, MD Hall and DK Dowling. 2015. The evolution of sex: a new hypothesis based on mitochondrial mutational erosion. Bioessays 37 (9), 951–958. PDF. DOI.<h3>2014</h3>Routtu J., Hall, M.D., Albere, B., Beisel, C., Bergeron, R.D., Chaturvedi, A., Choi, J-H., Colbourne, J. De Meester, L., Stephens, M.T., Stelzer, C-P.,&nbsp;Solorzano, E.,&nbsp;Thomas, W.K., Pfrender, M.E. &amp; Ebert, D. 2014.&nbsp;An SNP-based second-generation genetic map of Daphnia magna and its application to QTL analysis of phenotypic traits.&nbsp;BMC Genomics, 15: 1033. PDF. DOI.Sheikh-Jabbari, E., Hall, M.D., Ben-Ami, F., &amp; Ebert, D. 2014. The expression of virulence for a mixed-mode transmitted parasite in a diapausing host. Parasitology, 141: 1097-1107. PDF. DOI.<h3>2013</h3>Hall, M.D. &amp; Ebert, D. (2013) The genetics of infectious disease susceptibility: has the evidence for epistasis been overestimated?&nbsp;&nbsp;BMC Biology, 11: 79. PDF. DOI.Hall M.D., Lailvaux S.P. &amp; Brooks R.C. (2013) Sex-specific evolutionary potential of pre- and postcopulatory reproductive interactions in the field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus.&nbsp;Evolution, 67: 1831 - 1837. PDF. DOI.Roulin, A., Routto, J., Hall, M.D., Janicke, T., Coulson, I., Haag, C. &amp; Ebert, D. (2013) Local adaptation of sex-induction in a facultative sexual crustacean: insights from QTL mapping and natural populations of Daphnia magna. Molecular Ecology,&nbsp;22: 3567 - 3579. PDF. DOI.<h3>2012</h3>Hall, M.D.,&nbsp; Vettiger. A.&nbsp;&amp; Ebert, D. (2012) Interactions between environmental stressors: the influence of salinity on host–parasite interactions between Daphnia magna and Pasteuria ramosa. Oecologia, 171: 789 - 796. PDF. DOI.Kasumovic, M.M.,&nbsp;Hall, M.D. Try, H.&nbsp;&amp; Brooks, R.C. (2012)&nbsp;Socially cued developmental plasticity affects condition-dependent trait expression.&nbsp;Behavioral Ecology, 24: 429 - 434. PDF. DOI.Hall, M.D. &amp; Ebert, D. (2012) Disentangling the influence of parasite genotype, host genotype and maternal environment on different stages of bacterial infection in Daphnia magna. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 279: 3176-3183. PDF. DOI.Drayton, J. M., Hall, M. D., Hunt, J. &amp; Jennions, M. D. (2012)&nbsp;Sexual signaling and immune function in the black field cricket Teleogryllus commodus.&nbsp;PLoS ONE,&nbsp;7(7): e39631. PDF. DOI.Kasumovic, M.M., Hall, M.D., &amp; Brooks, R.C. (2012) The juvenile social environment introduces variation in the choice and expression of sexually selected traits. Ecology and Evolution, 2(5):&nbsp;1036–1047. PDF. DOI.<h3>2011</h3>Kasumovic,&nbsp;M.M., Hall,&nbsp;M.D.,&nbsp;Try,&nbsp;H.&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Brooks,&nbsp;R.C. (2011) The importance of listening: developmental shifts in response to juvenile acoustic environment. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 24: 1325–1334. PDF. DOI.Drayton, J. M., Milner, R. N. C., Hall, M. D., &amp; Jennions, M. D. (2011)&nbsp;Inbreeding and courtship calling in the cricket Teleogryllus commodus. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 24: 47–58. PDF. DOI.<h3>2010</h3>Hall, M. D., Lailvaux, S. P., Blows, M. W. &amp; Brooks, R. (2010) Sexual conflict and the maintenance of multivariate genetic variation.&nbsp;Evolution, 64(6): 1697–1703. PDF. DOI.Lailvaux, S. P., Hall, M. D., &amp; Brooks, R. (2010) Performance is no proxy for genetic quality: tradeoffs between locomotion, attractiveness and life-history in crickets. Ecology, 91(5): 1530–1537. PDF. DOI.Morehouse, N. I., Nakazawa, T., Booher, C. M., Jeyasingh, P. D. &amp; Hall, M. D. (2010) Sex in a material world: why the study of sexual reproduction and sex-specific traits should become more nutritionally-explicit. Oikos, 119: 766–788. PDF. DOI.Hall M. D., Bussière L. F., Demont M., Ward P. I. &amp; Brooks, R. (2010) Competitive PCR reveals the complexity of post-copulatory sexual selection in Teleogryllus commodus. Molecular Ecology, 19: 610–619. PDF. DOI.Bonser, S. P., Ladd, B., Monro, K.,&nbsp;Hall, M. D.&nbsp;&amp; Forster, M. A. (2010) The adaptive value of functional and life history traits across fertility treatments in an annual plant.&nbsp;Annals of Botany,&nbsp;online early. PDF. DOI.Bussière L. F., Demont M., Pemberton A., Hall M. D., &amp; Ward P. I. (2010) The assessment of insemination success in yellow dung flies using competitive PCR. Molecular Ecology Resources, 10(2): 292–303. PDF. DOI.Hall, M. D.,McLaren, L., Brooks, R. &amp; Lailvaux, S. P. (2010) Interactions among performance capabilities predict male combat outcomes in the field cricket Teleogryllus commodus. Functional Ecology, 24(1): 159–164. PDF. DOI.<h3>2009</h3>Maklakov A, Hall M. D., Simpson S, Dessman J, Clissold F, Zajitschek F, Raubenheimer D, Bonduriansky R, Brooks R. (2009) Sex differences in diet-dependent reproductive ageing. Aging Cell, 8: 324–330. PDF. DOI.Zajitschek F, Hunt J, Jennions M, Hall M. D., Brooks, R. (2009) Effects of juvenile and adult diet on ageing and reproductive effort of male and female black field crickets,&nbsp;Teleogryllus commodus. Functional Ecology, 23(3): 602–611. PDF. DOI.Hall M. D., Bussière L. F., Brooks R. (2009) Diet-dependent female evolution influences male lifespan in a nuptial feeding insects. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 22(4): 873–881. PDF. DOI.<h3>2008 and before</h3>Hall M. D., Bussière L. F., Brooks R. (2008) The effects of diet quality and wing morph on male and female reproductive investment in a nuptial feeding ground cricket. PLoS ONE, 3(10): e3437. PDF. DOI.Hall M. D., Bussière L. F., Hunt J, Brooks R. (2008) Experimental evidence that sexual conflict influences the opportunity, form and intensity of sexual selection. Evolution, 62: 2305–2315. PDF. DOI.Maklakov A, Simpson S, Zajitschek F, Hall M. D., Dessman J, Clissold F, Raubenheimer D, Bonduriansky R, Brooks R. (2008) Sex-specific fitness effects of nutrient intake generate sexual conflict over diet choice. Current Biology, 18: 1062–1066. PDF. DOI.Hall M. D., Lindholm A, Brooks R. (2004) Direct selection on male attractiveness and female preference failed to product a response. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 4. PDF. DOI.

DNA Genotyping and Sequencing.
A technician works among a fleet of desktop genomic sequencing machines at the Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, part of the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG). Creator:	Daniel Sone

Matt completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales in 2009 on the quantitative genetics of sexual conflict. He then moved to Switzerland to take up a Marie Curie Fellowship at the University of Basel with Dieter Ebert, swapping to the world of infection. In 2014, Matt returned to Australia to begin a lectureship with the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University.

Matthew Hall

Associate Professor and Chief Daphnia wrangler

Vayani joined the lab in 2021 as an Honours student having completed her undergraduate studies at Deakin University. Her Honours project used the&nbsp;Daphnia - Pasteuria&nbsp;host - pathogen system as a test case to explore how sex differences influence pathogen evolution. She stayed on to pursue a PhD and is now investigating how sexually dimorphic populations shape the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of infectious disease.

Vayani  Abeysinghe  

PhD Candidate

Nathan completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Wollongong in 2020 where he studied the evolution of sexual signals in blowflies. He joined the lab in 2022 using water fleas (Daphnia) to study the ecology of sex differences &amp; disease dynamics. Now, Nathan is working at La Trobe University on a project titled “Hotspots of invertebrate endemism”.Check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nathanbutterworth.com/about">https://www.nathanbutterworth.com/about</a>

Nathan Butterworth

Post-doc

Hyoseul completed his Masters at the Kyung Hee University of South Korea with behavioural ecology of aquatic insects. He joined the lab in 2023 and is now studying how sex difference can be evolved under the different reproduction modes and disease environment using Australian Daphnia genotypes.Check out:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WW6j8bEAAAAJ&amp;hl=ko">https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WW6j8bEAAAAJ</a>

Hyoseul Hyun

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Contact Matt and the Hall Research Group

Expert assistance in analyzing genetic, ecological, and epidemiological data using state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools and statistical methods.

Engaging blog posts, talks, and outreach materials that translate complex research findings into accessible knowledge for the public and policymakers.

Public Science Communication

Structured training programs for graduate students aimed at developing skills in evolutionary ecology, infectious disease research, and scientific writing.

Graduate Training Programs

For over a century, Daphnia has been a powerful model organism for understanding the genetics of infectious disease and local adaptation. Their short generation time (12 days), ease of culturing, and ability to reproduce clonally, is ideally suited to evolutionary genetics, as genotypes (i.e. clones) can be replicated extensively.&nbsp;

The Hosts

Daphnia are host to numerous pathogens including bacteria, fungi, microsporidia and helminths.&nbsp;One of the most common pathogens of D. magna&nbsp;is the the spore forming bacteria Pasteuria ramosa. Pasteuria is extremely virulent, resulting in complete castration of the host and a vastly reduced life expectancy.

The Pathogens

Daphnia are small (1-5 mm), transparent crustaceans that occupy a range of freshwater habitats – from rocky coastal rock pools, to desert ponds and mountain lakes. Many populations have repeatedly evolved differences in life-history traits – Daphnia from rock-pool habitats develop faster, reproduce earlier, and die sooner.

The Environment

We work primarily with various waterfleas of the genus Daphnia

Structured mentoring for undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in ecological and evolutionary research.

Student Mentorship Programs

Interactive workshops focusing on the latest methods and findings in evolutionary genetics related to infectious diseases.

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Organized fieldwork opportunities to collect data and observe ecological interactions in natural environments.

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Field Research Expeditions

Expert assistance in statistical and computational analysis of biological and ecological data from research projects.

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Data Analysis Support

Sex differences in the intensity of infection are universal. One sex is often described as the “sicker sex”, with females typically more susceptible to infection in invertebrates, versus males in mammals and birds. We aim to understand how such differences have evolved and the consequences they have for the epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of disease.

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Sex differences theme

NJ Butterworth, L Heffernan, MD Hall (2024) Is there a sicker sex? Dose relationships modify male–female differences in infection prevalence. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291 (2014), 20232575.SAY Gipson, AK Pettersen, L Heﬀernan, and MD Hall (2022) Host sex modulates the energetics of pathogen proliferation and its dependence on environmental resources. The American Naturalist, vol. 199, no. 5, pp. E186E196, doi:10.1086/718717.Hall, MD and Mideo, N (2018) Linking sex differences to the evolution of infectious disease life-histories. Philosophical transactions B, 373 20170431.

3rd Meeting of the Science Demonstration Conference. Dr. Margaret Kelly, Medicine Branch, "Chemical Carcinogenesis in Newborn Animals". 1962

Beyond the sicker sex

hemolysis tubes in a tube holder in a science laboratory.

When might warming accelerate or dampen the impact of chemical contaminants?

And how do animals adapt to environments degraded by human activity?

Specialized support services for the analysis of genetic, ecological, and epidemiological data using state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools.

Data reporting dashboard on a laptop screen. 

Opportunities to participate in or initiate collaborative field studies investigating real-world ecological and evolutionary dynamics of infectious diseases.

Collaborative Field Research Projects

Engaging talks aimed at educating the public about infectious disease ecology, evolutionary biology, and the impact of global change on health.

Public Lectures and Community Talks

Comprehensive mentorship programs for undergraduate and graduate students focusing on career planning, research skills, and professional growth in biological sciences.

Student Mentorship and Career Development

Many chemicals used as drugs in human and veterinary medicine are increasingly detected as pollutants in the habitats of wildlife. But measures of toxicity, on which management depends, are commonly extrapolated from estimates of mortality alone, measured on a single reference genotype, under benign laboratory conditions.

Ecotox theme overview

LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, and MD Hall (2022) Warmer temperatures limit the eﬀects of antidepressant pollution on life-history traits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 289, no. 1968, doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.2701LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, and MD Hall (2023) Can pharmaceutical pollution alter the spread of infectious disease? A case study using ﬂuoxetine. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 378, no. 1873, doi:10.1098/rstb.2022.0010.LC Aulsebrook, BBM Wong, MD Hall (2024) Pharmaceutical pollution alters the cost of bacterial infection and its relationship to pathogen load. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291 (2014), 20231273

Key Papers"

The next round for international PhD scholarships at Monash in Australia are now open (August 31st 2025). Interested in evolutionary ecology, global change, sex differences, and/or infectious disease? Get in touch. There will be Daphnia involved...For prospective graduate students, details and the application process and entry requirements can be found from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.monash.edu/science/research/graduate-research/how-to-apply">Monash Graduate Research</a>.

Training on mRNA Vaccine Production at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center Scientists from South Africa learn key aspects of the mRNA vaccine production process during a two-week visit to the VRC—part of an ongoing collaboration to share knowledge, expertise, and data to expedite mRNA vaccine production globally. Credit: NIAID https://www.flickr.com/photos/niaid/53108470117/

Business Name:
The Evolutionary Ecology and Infectious Disease Research Group (Matt D. Hall Lab)

Business Location:
Not explicitly stated, but positions are limited to Australian or New Zealand residents, indicating the group operates in this region.

Business Hours:
Not provided.

Key Services Provided:
- Research and study in evolutionary genetics of sex, death, and disease.
- Investigation of sex differences in infection susceptibility across species.
- Exploration of invasion biology focusing on population dynamics and pathogen virulence.
- Research on the impact of global environmental change on disease occurrence and evolution.
- Experimental work using species of Daphnia and their pathogens to understand infectious disease ecology and evolution.
- Opportunities for academic positions including post-doctoral fellowships, research assistant roles, and fully-funded PhD projects.

Customer Reviews / Feedback Highlights:
No traditional customer reviews are available. However, tweets and collaborations indicate:
- Publication of research in high-impact journals including a Special Issue of Philosophical Transactions on Infectious Disease Ecology Evolution in a Changing World.
- Collaborative research contributions by team members and students.
- Successful supervision and support of PhD candidates, with celebratory mentions of academic milestones (e.g., PhD thesis submissions).

Summary:
The Evolutionary Ecology and Infectious Disease Research Group led by Matt D. Hall conducts advanced research on the genetics and ecology of infectious disease, focusing on sex differences, invasion biology, and global change impacts. They offer research positions and training opportunities for qualified candidates in evolutionary biology and ecology, primarily in Australia and New Zealand. Their work is recognized through publications and collaborative scientific contributions.

We study the evolutionary genetics of sex, death, and disease
SEX DIFFERENCES
Sex differences in the intensity of infection are universal. One sex is often described as the “sicker sex”, with females typically more susceptible to infection in invertebrates, versus males in mammals and birds. We aim to understand how such differences have evolved and the consequences they have for the epidemiology and evolution of disease.
INVASION BIOLOGY
The edge of an invading population coincides with low population density and high resource availability. These altered conditions cause rapid evolution, leading to modified dispersal and in the case of a pathogen, altered virulence. We are exploring infectious disease in light of the altered demographic dynamics that occur in vanguard populations.
GLOBAL CHANGE
Global change has been linked to the increased occurrence of diseases, but any change in the severity or occurrence of disease will depend on the form of climate change and specifics of the host-pathogen system. We seek to identity the condition that lead to pathogens or hosts becoming evolutionary winners or losers under various types of environmental change.
Recent news
We are looking for a post-doc with interests in the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions. Work across projects linking sex-specific adaptation, global change biology, or invasion biology as per http://lab.mattdhall.com/publications. A doctoral qualification in empirical ecology, evolutionary biology or a closely related field, an excellent track record of referred research publications in high impact journals and experience in empirical research using cutting-edge quantitative approaches is required. See details at:
https://careers.pageuppeople.com/513/cw/en/job/623002/research-fellow
We, The Evolutionary Ecology and Infectious Disease Research Group, are seeking a Research Assistant to assist with the research services to support the operations of the group and delivery of evolutionary and ecological research program outcomes. A degree in ecology or evolutionary biology with subsequent relevant experience with laboratory research, as well as experience with invertebrate and algae stock maintenance, molecular skills, and laboratory and field-work is required. Unlike the post-doc advert, this role is limited to Australian or New Zealand residents with an Honours or Masters degree. Start date is as soon as possible.
See details at: https://careers.pageuppeople.com/513/cw/en/job/623003/research-officer
Multiple fully-funded PhD positions are available to work in our group on themes broadly related to evolutionary ecology and health. Using species of Daphnia and their associated pathogens as powerful experimental model, the successful candidates will work closely with Matt and his collaborators to develop projects that explore how global change and infectious disease interact to influence population persistence; the role of males and females in the evolution of pathogen virulence; and, how invasion fronts can accelerate or hamper the spread of infectious disease (or suggest another).
Tweets
RT @MozzieFhal: New paper published today in a Special Issue of Phil Trans 'Infectious Disease Ecology Evolution in a Changing Worl… https://t.co/PoI9319ygm
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RT @LCAulsebrook: I was delighted to contribute my research with @mattd_hall and @BBM_Wong to the @RSocPublishing Phil Trans theme i… https://t.co/ROZj7W3BGi
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RT @kaylacking: Special Issue of Phil Trans 'Infectious Disease Ecology Evolution in a Changing World' is finally out: https://t.co/IYq39LIJPF
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RT @BBM_Wong: Congrats @LCAulsebrook (cosupervised with @mattd_hall) who submitted her PhD thesis today 🎉🍾🥳. Lucinda studied the… https://t.co/tq9zOFiu11
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