Research

The capitulum is thought to be a key innovation contributing to the success of Asteraceae (~30,000 species found globally); however, we still do not fully understand its origins or the underlying developmental genetics. In collaboration with Drs. Jennifer Mandel (https://blogs.memphis.edu/jmandel/) and John Burke (http://www.theburkelab.org/), we are addressing these questions using comparative genomics and functional genetics. This project will also increase the availability of essential genomic resources and tools for working in an important and highly-diverse family of plants.

Adaptive radiations (rapid evolution of species from one ancestor)  offer insight into the evolutionary processes that are difficult to determine when comparing more distantly related organisms. The genus Bidens has undergone a recent radiation in the Polynesian islands, with ~20 species in Hawaii alone. In collaboration with Drs. Matthew Knope (https://matthew-knope.squarespace.com/) and Chris Muir (https://cdmuir.netlify.app/), we are using a combination of comparative genomics and developmental genetics to identify mechanisms underlying morphological variation among closely related species.