EVOLUTION  PHYLOGENETICS  BIODIVERSITY  CONSERVATION

My lab is interested in the evolution of marine invertebrates.  This subject allows us to address issues related to their biodiversity, phylogeny, ecology, biogeography, and conservation. Specifically, our present research combines the study of fossil evidence with molecular and morphological phylogenetics to gain insights into key evolutionary adaptations, relationships, and origins of decapod crustaceans. As part of this research, we have been developing and applying novel methods using next-generation technology.  More recently, we have been using genomic methods to study the evolution of bioluminescence and light detection in the deep sea.  Present awarded grants propose to study deep sea bioluminescence and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Gulf of Mexico coastal and deep sea ecosystems.