Katie Dickinson
Hard at work in the Kerr Lab
My Interests
I am interested in exploring the evolution of cooperation and altruism. Altruism appears to be the opposite of natural selection and survival of the fittest. Why would an organism improve the fitness of another at a cost to itself? Yet, cooperation and altruism is widespread in nature. A fascinating question is how cooperation or altruist behavior can evolve and be maintained in the presence of “cheaters,” individuals who take but do not contribute.
I am currently researching quorum sensing, a simple form of communication, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I hope to better understand the role of communication in the evolution of cooperation.
Contact
- katiejd8 [snail] uw [period] edu -> mailto:katiejd8 [snail] uw [period] edu