Menu:

Research Interests

I am interested in pursuing the evolution, development and function of the nervous system using comparative and evolutionary genomics as a framework.  In practice I think this means using genomics (sequence, transcriptional, epigenetic and regulatory information, for example) to guide efforts in circuit breaking.  Once circuits can be defined and dissected in molecular terms (including the definition of cell types) they may be represented as tractable evolutionary “traits.”  Comparing homologous circuits at appropriate evolutionary distances should inform two fundamental questions of neurobiology: what computations does each circuit perform and how (and at what level) is the circuit’s general function manipulated by evolution? Ideally, the circuits in question would have distinct and measurable behavioral outputs, allowing genomics to guide a mechanistic understanding of behavior.

Outside of a specific set of questions, I'm a methods junky, constantly trying to expand my genomics toolbox.  In addition to standard molecular biology, my research projects have given me the chance to get comfortable applying the following techniques: linkage mapping (QTL analysis), cytogenetics, fluorescent microscopy, assays of molecular evolution, phylogenetics, bioinformatics, and the quantification of behavior.  In terms of systems, I have done evolutionary/comparative genomics in Mimulus (monkey flowers) and Daphnia (water fleas), neurogenetics and behavior in Drosophila, and phylogenetics with linguistic data. 

For my Phd work, I hope to learn both traditional electrophysiology and new techniques in functional imaging and neural circuit manipulation, in order to bridge the gap between evolutionary and neurobiological model systems.