How genomic changes promote adaptation and speciation in Arabidopsis relatives and in tropical trees
Evolutionary Functional Genomics / Systems Biology
Darwin proposed the first conclusive theory to explain biodiversity with two principles: adaptation by natural selection, and speciation. However, little is known about the genes responsible for biodiversity, due to the split between laboratory molecular biologists and field evolutionists. The key to synthesize biology is genomics: specifically, evolutionary genomics.
We are taking interdisciplinary approaches to study the molecular basis of biodiversity, and helps start the University Research Priority Program of Systems Biology / Functional Genomics.
One of the advantages of using plants is the feasibility of ecological studies since they are immobile. The plants we study include a model species Arabidopsis thaliana, an allopolyploid Arabidopsis kamchatica in East Asia, a species-rich genus Cardamine, and Dipterocarpaceae in Malaysia tropical forests.
Research topics
Evolution of reproductive systems
Self-compatibility
Genome duplication (speciation)
Arabidopsis relatives
Tropical trees (Dipterocarpaceae)
Interdisciplinary
Evolutionary and ecological functional genomics (EEFG)
Statistical genetics
Ecology
Molecular developmental genetics
Systems biology
