It’s not pathology - it’s a plan! Physiological networks allow organisms to re-allocate resources during stress

​

Shelley A. Adamo

 

Animals have dedicated responses that allow them to optimize defence against predators, pathogens, and other stressors. However, stressors often co-occur. Predators will attack when prey are ill, for example. In this talk, I will show how the caterpillar, Manduca sexta, can shift resources and resculpt their immune responses when faced with multiple challenges. Viewed in isolation, some of these responses may seem maladaptive, but at the organismal level they maximize fitness under challenging circumstances.