New assistant professor and parasitologist Clement Lagrue joins UAlberta, studying parasites and teaching students about the mechanisms of evolution.
Clement Lagrue, new assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, admits he's not sure if anyone grows up wanting to study parasites. But that's exactly what Lagrue's research focuses on; and it turns out, there's a lot they can tell us.
With a decade of experience after obtaining his PhD in zoology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, Lagrue joins UAlberta to continue his research on parasites and to teach students about the mechanisms of evolution.
What brought you to the University of Alberta?
Since I graduated in 2008 with a PhD in zoology from New Zealand, I've spent the past decade employed as a postdoctoral researcher and research fellow in different countries and universities. I had been looking for a position that would fit my field of research, my outdoorsy lifestyle, and would offer my family-my wife and three-year-old son-good opportunities for work and education.
When I saw the assistant professor position at UAlberta, I honestly didn't know much about Edmonton or Alberta. However, Canada was very high on my list of potential countries to work and live in. I went through the interview process, got offered the position, and accepted immediately.
Tell us about your research program.
My research interests lie in a few areas, including the evolutionary ecology of parasites, cryptic diversity, and host manipulation by parasites.
Division of labour is a cornerstone of all complex modular systems, and the key to their efficiency and resilience. In living organisms, division of labour is epitomised by social insects like ants and termites, which consist of a reproductive caste and other castes performing different functions.
In addition to division of labour, I am also studying cryptic diversity. Most biologists estimate biodiversity as the number of species present at any one place/time and distinguish different species using morphological characteristics; that is, differences in appearance. However, new genetic techniques have identified numerous "cryptic species"-ones that are visually similar but are in fact very different at a genetic level.
DNA barcoding is revolutionizing our perception of biodiversity as numerous new cryptic species are being discovered - for example, studies from New Zealand, Europe, and North America show that cryptic diversity in freshwater crustaceans is very high.
Finally, I am studying host manipulation by parasites. The observable characteristics of a host-the phenotype-can be altered by some parasites, causing changes in a host's behaviour or appearance. This manipulation is often assumed to enhance the host's susceptibility to predators, and thus transmit the parasite through the food chain. But the complexity and mechanisms of host manipulation remain largely unknown.
Why is this an important field of study? How can this work address some of our societal challenges?
As my research is mainly fundamental, which makes this a tricky question. Why are we trying to go to Mars? Because knowledge of the world and universe we live in is important!
For a more practical answer, the evolution of division of labour in animals has puzzled humanity for a very long time and has interested economists and industry for as long as chain work has existed. How we, as a society, can achieve efficiency without crushing individual freedom has probably been one of the most pressing societal challenges of modern humanity.
More practical application can be found in the study of cryptic diversity. Conservation of ecosystems and organisms are becoming one of the most challenging issues as human impacts on the natural environment grow stronger. But how do you protect something if you can't identify it properly? Research is finding that many species identified on morphological characteristics are actually different species that are morphologically identical and can only be differentiated through genetic analysis; conservation strategies need to be able to account for such hidden biodiversity.
Studies of behavioural manipulation by parasites are now seen by some biologists, psychiatrists, and medical scientists as a potential window into the brain and studying behaviour. How do parasites take control of their host and influence its behaviour? If the mechanisms can be identified, could they be reversed and used to treat mental illness? Of course, this is only a far-fetched hypothesis; but most are, before they are proven true.
What inspired you to enter this field?
I don't know that anyone aspires to become a parasitologist. My passion has grown from the need to understand how animals live and interact. If you think about it, there is no closer interaction than the one between a parasite and its host. I originally specialized in freshwater biology because of an interest in fish ecology, but fish are also full of parasites; a lot, of all kinds.
While these animals are seemingly small and insignificant they actually make up more than half of the species on earth. There is no organism on the planet that is devoid of parasites. Even parasites have parasites. In fact, parasitism is the most successful strategy on earth and has evolved independently in all animal, plant and fungus groups.
Predators feed off prey like parasites feed off hosts. Predators can afford to fail at catching prey as long as they eventually succeed; indeed, most predators are relatively inefficient hunters. Parasites cannot afford to miss-ever, or they die! They have thus evolved strategies for survival and reproduction that defy imagination.
Tell us about your teaching.
I will be teaching BIOL 221, Mechanisms of Evolution, in the Winter term. Teaching, and teaching well, is important to me; particularly when it comes to teaching undergraduates. When I was an undergrad student, a lot of my professors ran old-school, tedious, and boring classes. Back then, I swore that if I was ever going to stand in front of a class, I would try to pass on knowledge with all of my passion and encourage students to think about and understand the material; not just memorize it to spit out at the exam.
I believe that teachers should inspire students, not bore or scare them. If you want undergraduate students to become good graduate students and good professors, you need need to start early and lead by example!