Michaela Hau Lab
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544

 
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Are there seasonal changes in the immune system?

Immunocompetence is an important determinant of survival. However, immunocompetence is energetically costly and thus necessitates trade-offs with other energy-demanding processes such as reproduction. This trade-off is manifested in small non-tropical rodents by decreased immunocompetence during the breeding season and increased immunocompetence during the non-breeding season. So far, seasonal changes in the immunocompetence of birds are not well understood. We are therefore studying seasonal changes in the immunocompetence of male and female house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in the laboratory. This project is a collaboration with Peggy Han and Lynn B. ("Marty") Martin.




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