Ailene MacPherson, Simon Fraser University

Research

Epidemiology Population Genetics Phylogenetics Conservation Co-evolution Adaptation coevolution ecological feedbacks

Latest papers

Predictions From Evolutionary Theory for Urban Environments.
Evolutionary applications · 2026 · first author
Clade size distributions under the coalescent diversification model.
Theoretical population biology · 2026 · senior author
SAASI: Sampling Aware Ancestral State Inference.
Nature communications · 2026

All 14 publications

Latest funding

Coevolutionary Epidemiology of Hosts and Their Infectious Pathogens
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$87,000
Coevolutionary Epidemiology of Hosts and Their Infectious Pathogens
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$12,500
Theoretical Evolutionary Epidemiology
NSERC · 2021 · Principal investigator
$360,000

All 3 grants and awards

14 publications.

01

Predictions From Evolutionary Theory for Urban Environments.

MacPherson A, Caizergues AE, Savary P, Xu K, Messer PW, Akbar MN, Fortin MJ, Holt RD, Hoi AG, Mideo N, Ness R, Peres-Neto PR, Santangelo JS, Johnson MTJ

Evolutionary applications2026First author

DOI: 10.1111/eva.70275 PMID: 42253486

02

Clade size distributions under the coalescent diversification model.

Song Y, Colijn C, MacPherson A

Theoretical population biology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2026.02.004 PMID: 41747810

03

SAASI: Sampling Aware Ancestral State Inference.

Song Y, Gill I, MacPherson A, Colijn C

Nature communications2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72851-5 PMID: 42115598

04

Computing tree size under dynamical models of diversification.

MacPherson A, Pennell M

Theoretical population biology2025First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2025.10.003 PMID: 41161610

05

It is better to be choosy in small populations: drift promotes the evolution of weak female preference for rare phenotypes.

Reyes E, MacPherson A, M'Gonigle LK

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution2025

DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpaf142 PMID: 40627417

06

Local adaptation of life-history traits in a seasonal environment.

Hall R, MacPherson A

Journal of evolutionary biology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/jeb/voaf099 PMID: 40905736

07

Multi-host pathogen transmission and the disease-diversity relationship.

Toorians MEM, Davies TJ, MacPherson A

Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1111/brv.70027 PMID: 40374234

08

Reading Yule in light of the history and present of macroevolution.

Pennell M, MacPherson A

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0299 PMID: 39976403

09

Aggregation unveiled: A sequential modelling approach to bark beetle outbreaks.

Salehzadeh M, Stockie JM, MacPherson A

Theoretical population biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2024.10.002 PMID: 39522736

10

Endemic does not mean constant as SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve.

Otto SP, MacPherson A, Colijn C

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution2024

DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae041 PMID: 38459852

Coevolutionary Epidemiology of Hosts and Their Infectious Pathogens

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: MacPherson, Ailene

Keywords: infectious disease; coevolution; phylogenetics; local adaptation; population genetics; epidemiology; ecological feedbacks; conservation; theory; inference

$87,000

Coevolutionary Epidemiology of Hosts and Their Infectious Pathogens

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: MacPherson, Ailene

$12,500

Theoretical Evolutionary Epidemiology

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Canada Research Chairs

Principal investigators: MacPherson, Ailene

Keywords: Co-evolution; Epidemiology; Adaptation; Population Genetics; Phylogenetics; Conservation

$360,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Caroline Colijn

Head Office

4 shared papers, latest 2026

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Epidemiology Dear Professor MacPherson, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Predictions From Evolutionary Theory for Urban Environments." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Coevolutionary Epidemiology of Hosts and Their Infectious Pathogens" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]