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College of Science and Mathematics

Joel Slade

Assistant Professor

Biology | 559.278.5242 | Office: Science 330

joelslade@csufresno.edu

Education

B.Sc., Marine Biology and Oceanography, Dalhousie University
M.Sc., Applied Science, Saint Mary's University
Ph.D., Biology, University of Western Ontario
Postdoctoral Researcher at the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University

Courses Taught

  • BIOL 101 General Ecology
  • BIOL 105 Evolution
  • BIOL 111H Honors Experimental Design & Writing
  • BIOL 113H Honors Colloquium
  • BIOL 137 Ecology and Evolution of Birds
  • BIOL 157 Immunology
  • BIOL 181 Seminar in Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 182 Molecular Ecology
  • BIOL 251 Experimental Design for Biologists
Dr. Joel Slade is an avian evolutionary ecologist focusing on (1) how urbanization affects the evolution of the avian immune system, (2) how birds honestly signal immunogenetic quality to potential mates, (3) how commensal microbes play a role in bird health, and (4) how migratory behavior and climate change affects pathogen-host dynamics (e.g., avian malaria). 
 
Joel leads an active research lab of undergraduate and graduate students. In the field, Dr. Slade's students gather data on birds' morphology and take small blood samples for microscopy and subsequent DNA analysis. In the lab, students learn DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and bioinformatics to analyze high-throughput DNA sequencing data.
 
Ultimately, Joel's research is motivated by his fascination with the evolution of the avian immune system, its role in sexual selection, and how humans may be altering the evolutionary trajectories of avian immune genes involved in pathogen recognition and antigen presentation.
Using birds as his taxon of interest, Dr. Slade's research program centers around exploring these overarching topics:
  • Evolutionary Ecology
  • Ecoimmunology
  • Disease Ecology
  • Sexual Selection
Refer to the Slade Lab Website