About
Hello there my dear friends and welcome to the world of birds and their viruses
Inside the Lab:
My name is Jonathan Dain, and I am a Ph.D. student at UMASS Boston working in the VirusPlusLab led by Dr. Nichola Hill. We are a “Disease Ecology” lab focused on answering questions about the recent avian influenza outbreaks in wild birds. My personal interests lie at the intersection of the host virus dynamic. What are the ecological and phylogenetic drivers of avian influenza in the current North American outbreak? What can we learn from the host about infection with this virus in terms of the disease phenotype and immune response? What can we learn from the viral genomes about spread of the virus, host factors affecting spread and much more? Why do some bird species get infected with the virus and die very quickly while others are asymptomatic? How much does the host gene expression impact the spread of this virus into new areas and populations?
Outside the Lab:
Apart from my studies at UMB, I am a fun-loving husband to Amanda Dain. I am an avid herpetologist and ornithologist and you will often find me with eyes to the sky, flipping logs, or waist-deep in a bog with frogs. As a lover of coffee, I am always down to pour a cup and sit at the table with a great book or have a deep conversation with a friend. I do my best to find beauty in the little moments in life and I have often said “wonder makes the common uncommon”. So come join me on this adventure with birds, viruses, coffee, and books and let’s see what wonders are ahead of us.