Here is a list of a few current projects. If you would like to talk about any of these projects, please contact me
Publications
Can cloning and selfing affect population genetics? I was invited to collaborate in a publication with Dr. Mike Hart, Dr. Maria Byrne, and Dr. Jon Allen to simulate cloning and selfing in sea star populations. The paper titled “Cloning and Selfing Affect Population Genetic Variation In Simulations of Outcrossing, Sexual Sea Stars” is in revision in the peer-reviewed scientific journal “Biological Bulletin”.
Reproductive genes evolve fast, but perhaps not as fast as we thought when gametic isolation is not one of the isolation barriers. We (Dr. Hart, Dr. Byrne, Dr. Haynes, and I) compared the evidence of selection in reproductive genes of two closely-realted sea stars of Australia that have different mating systems (expected to be under different sexual selection strength). We surprisingly did not find strong evidence of positive selection in the gamete-recognition genes of either of the sea stars. But we found evidence of relaxation. The publication titled “Selection on genes associated with the evolution of divergent life histories: Gamete recognition or something else?” was recently accepted in the peer-reviewd scientific journal “Evolution & Development”.
Would more genes improve coalescent isolation-with-migration (IM) models? In this project, in collaboration with Dr. Mike Hart, Dr. Jon Puritz, and Dr. Maria Byrne, we explore the use of omics data for IM models. The publication is titled “Genomic data improve coalescent inference across a range of demographic parameters and life-histories”. This publication is in review in the peer-reviewed scientific journal “Evolution Applications”.
Data Analysis
The rate of accumulation of genetic differences between populations and species due to selection may dependent on life history characteristics such as modes of reproduction). In this current study, I am using a large dataset composed of multiple species of sea stars with contrasting life history characteristics to assess two predictions: that gamete-recognition genes show stronger evidence of a response to selection; and that gamete-recognition genes show greater evidence of a response to selection in lineages or species with broadcast spawning and planktonic fertilization than in lineages or species with benthic fertilization. This project is the last chapter of my PhD work with Dr. Mike Hart.