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Walt Eanes is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution. He received his Bachelors degree form Cornell University, a Masters degree in Marine Science from the College of William and Mary and his Ph.D. from the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook. He is a member of the graduate program in Ecology and Evolution and the graduate program in Genetics at Stony Brook. He is a former member of the GENETICS and EVOLUTION Editorial Boards. His funding is from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health

 

 

 

Current Graduate Students


Nicole Lashbrook

My research is focused on understanding the evolutionary processes that give rise to sex differences. When Charles Darwin formulated his theory of sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, sex differences were understood largely in terms of morphology, physiology and behavior. We have since seen that sex differences are also readily apparent at the molecular level, notably in terms of the differential segregation of sex chromosomes and genome-wide sex-biased gene expression. Using the well-developed study system of Drosophila melanogaster and its close relatives, I study functional genomic and genomic data on sex-biased genes in a phylogenetic context to assess alternative models of evolution in relation to sex.

   

 

 

Stephen Sabatino

I study the genetic architecture of adaptation in species of shad found between Northern Africa, Iceland and the Caspian Sea.  Some of the shad species I focus on spend their entire life in the sea while others are isolated in freshwater lakes or are anadromous.  Many of them also exhibit remarkable genetic and phenotypic differences across several environmental gradients that are associated with ecological factors such as temperature and salinity.  This biological system therefore allows me to test hypotheses about the role metabolic genes, such as malic enzyme, play in ecological adaptation and speciation, particularly in cases where parallel evolution across similar environments has occurred.  Currently, I am utilizing next generation sequencing technologies to investigate the transcriptome of shads, which will enable me to identify metabolic genes that may be under natural selection.  

 

 

 Paola Espinosa   

I am interested in understanding population formation processes and its contribution to diversity. I am using a population genetic approach, focusing in two important aspects that affect individual dispersal and spatial genetic structure: life history and ecological landscape. Amphibians are particularly suitable for exploring this topic. Due to their limited dispersal ability, they also provide a strong phylogenetic signal and a marked spatial genetic structure. Additionally, dispersal in anurans is known to be greatly influenced by life history traits. I use a comparative molecular approach with two species of poison dart frogs, and utilize mitochondrial DNA and AFLPs to identify evolutionary processes at different times in a chronological scale. Furthermore, the area of study is within the Chocó region, identified as a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International. Foremost, the resulting information on genetic diversity and structure is a priority to implement successful conservation planning in a constantly changing environment and landscape.