On Friday, March 30, Katharina Dittmar (National Science Foundation) discussed her research on co-evolution of blood-thirsty bats, their blood-feeding parasites, and the zoo of microbial symbionts. Integrating molecular genetics, population biology, and systematics, Dr. Dittmar presented an integrative approach to understanding he evolution of complex ecological interactions and its implications for global health across the scale of biological systems, from molecules to ecosystems.