Evolutionary biology · Comparative genomics · Marine conservation
My research
I am an evolutionary biologist working at the intersection of comparative genomics, phylogenomics, and marine conservation. My research uses cnidarians - corals and jellyfish - as model systems to investigate how new cell types evolve, how marine species diversify, and how interactions between animals and their microbial partners shape life in the ocean.
Postdoctoral Researcher · National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health
Research themes
My work connects evolutionary processes within organisms to the ecological and evolutionary dynamics that shape marine communities.
Cell-type evolution
At NHGRI, I study the hydrozoan Podocoryna using genome resources and single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate cell-type diversity, differentiation, and the evolution of specialized tissues such as striated muscle.
Biodiversity & conservation
I apply phylogenomics and museum genomics to resolve species boundaries in Pocillopora corals, connecting evolutionary history to coral distributions and conservation.
Host–microbe interactions
My work investigates how host-associated bacteria and other microbes impact host physiology, immune responses, and evolutionary diversification.
Co-first author · G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics
Read the paperFirst author · Genome Biology and Evolution
Read the paperFirst author · Coral Reefs
Read the paperFirst author · Molecular Ecology
Read the paperComparative genomicsGenome assembly & annotationPhylogenomicsSingle-cell RNA-seqTranscriptomicsHost–microbe systemsMuseum genomicsBioinformatics workflows
I value collaborative, reproducible research that connects computational analyses with biological questions and addresses management and conservation needs.
Browse research projects or get in touch about research and collaboration.