I am interested in the origins of biological diversity, particularly how abrupt genomic events such as polyploidy, chromosomal change, and hybridization have contributed to the evolution and diversity of life. My research program integrates new computational and evolutionary genomic tools with traditional approaches such as molecular evolution, population genetics, phylogenetics, and experimental work to better understand how changes in genome organization impact biological diversity. My lab uses a combination of publicly available genomic data and new data generated by ourselves and collaborators from a diverse set of study systems.
These include crops in the genus Brassica, local resurrection lycophytes in Selaginella, and macroevolutionary analyses using data from across the eukaryotes. Our ultimate goal is to connect patterns of genome evolution across time scales by leveraging systems where we can study microevolutionary processes to inform our understanding of macroevolutionary patterns.