Jef Jaeger (Life Sciences) and Anthony Waddle, '15 BS Biology, '17 MS Biology, were among an international team spearheaded by the Erica Rosenblum Lab at UC Berkeley that published “Cryptic Diversity of a Widespread Global Pathogen Reveals New Threats to Amphibian Conservation." The paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The research optimized an advanced method of genotyping the pathogen from samples such as noninvasive amphibian skin swabs. Among the findings is the discovery of a genetic variant of the fungus that appears to be the oldest linage identified thus far. This lineage is widespread in Southeast Asia, and its characteristics support the perspective of an Asian origin for the fungal group. The research also further defines and expands the range of other lineages, including the deadly global panzootic lineage.
