Nicole Mideo has been promoted to the rank of full professor beginning July 1, 2026. In her research, Mideo explores how the ecology of parasites—the ways in which parasites interact with their hosts, other species, and the physical environment—shapes the evolution of traits and behaviours that underlie the severity and spread of disease.  

Two questions in particular will draw her attention in the near future. One has to do with so-called coinfection, a host’s simultaneous infection with two parasites. In such a case, the two parasites may compete for host resources or interact via the host’s immune response. Some recent work in Mideo’s lab investigates the conditions under which parasites do better or worse in a coinfection than when on their own—and what that means for the overall health of the host. “One of the interesting angles of this project for me,” says Mideo, “is that targeting one parasite with an intervention (like drugs) will have unintended, knock-on consequences for the other parasite. By understanding the mechanistic details of within-host interactions, we can predict those off-target consequences.”  

Her second current point of focus explores the impact of time-of-day on disease spread. “Nearly all aspects of the biology and behaviours of hosts, parasites, and disease vectors vary over the course of a day,” Mideo reminds us. For example, the mosquitoes that carry and can transmit the parasite causing malaria—a pathogen Mideo spends a lot of time thinking about—follow predictable feeding rhythms. Yet models that estimate the risks of disease spread, malaria or otherwise, tend to ignore such daily patterns.  

Working with collaborators to combine their empirical data with her own mathematical models, Mideo is now trying to understand the extent to which ignoring these rhythms might lead to over- or underestimating risk. In practice, her team’s work could uniquely help predict the consequences for the spread of malaria resulting from a peculiar phenomenon: empirical studies have shown that the prevalent use of insecticidal bed nets in malaria-prone regions has led to mosquitoes changing the timing of their feeding. This, in turn, might affect their ability to transmit disease through their bite. 

Beyond her research, Mideo will also continue to serve as associate chair, undergraduate until the end of 2026, a role she has held since July 2022.  “The best part of that role has been gaining a new perspective on our department and its place in society through education,” says Mideo, emphasizing as well the gratification that comes from learning about the strong sense of community students feel in EEB. She reserves special praise for the staff she has worked with—“from the Undergraduate Office to the course administrators to the lab technicians: It’s been inspiring to see how much they care about our students and how dedicated they are to the student experience. We’re lucky in EEB.”