Learning from Daphnia: The Generational Impact of Illness

Sep 17, 2025 | News

Pictured are daphnia, a tiny freshwater crustacean, infected with a fungal-like parasite called microsporidia. When they become infected with the parasite, their guts become crystallized and opaque. University of Michigan researchers found that the organism infected with the parasite fared well despite their illness, but many of their offspring, who were not infected, died young. Image courtesy: Meghan Duffy, University of Michigan

University of Michigan, Michigan News

Originally posted September 8th, 2025

Read what MCIDT affiliate Meghan Duffy has to say about her team’s study on daphnia and the unexpected impact of parasitic infection on uninfected offspring fitness, and potentially a new way of thinking about virulence across generations

Michigan News article: The generational impact of illness