For my doctoral work, I  focused primarily on phylogenomics, specifically the inference of evolutionary relationships among species using genome-scale markers. I worked on ultraconserved elements (UCEs), using available genomes to investigate potential function/s of UCEs, and analyzed how UCE loci inform phylogeny. I applied UCEs to elucidate the evolutionary transition/s between nocturnality and diurnality in the superorder Strisores, a clade including both the nocturnal nightbirds and diurnal swifts and hummingbirds.

As a postdoc, I was located in the Retinal Development, Genetics and Therapy section of the Neurobiology Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory within the National Eye Institute. There, I used an evolutionary perspective to understand the diversity of visual types, including nocturnal vs. diurnal vision and foveated vs. afoveated vision. I also worked towards elucidating the evolution of rod photoreceptor cells, using an unprecedentedly large (103 species) pan-vertebrate data set of retinal transcriptomes. Lastly, I developed histological/microscopy methods to efficiently identify foveae across avian species, using this as a tool in my effort to characterize vertebrate foveal development.

Research Interests and Current Projects

Comparative Genomics of Vision

Using a diverse sampling covering the extant radiation of vertebrates, I am conducting a comparative analysis of the molecular basis of phototransduction by leveraging the wide diversity of  visual function displayed in vertebrates. This work will help us understand  the regulation of retinal function,  as well as retinal cell development.

Evolution of Nocturnality in Birds

I have developed a molecular tool to efficiently capture all of the genes of the phototransduction cascade (PTC) from any extant species of bird. With this tool, I am investigating the molecular basis of nocturnal vision across the avian tree of life, and ultimately hope to answer questions about the evolutionary advantages and the adaptive basis of a nocturnal lifestyle.

Evolution of Retinal Cell Types

Using the evolutionary tree of chordates as a framework, I am elucidating the evolutionary origin of all major retinal cell types. This information will allow us to identify the key components of cellular function and how they affect vision. In support of this mission, I am also developing histological and microscopy methods to conduct efficient morphological surveys of retinal cells across vertebrates.