Understanding evolution by studying the exceptions
I have always been fascinated by atypical biological phenomena. Whether investigating asexual reproduction, sex chromosome degeneration, or the evolutionary trajectories of rare reproductive strategies, I seek to understand how departures from the norm can reveal fundamental principles of evolution. By studying these exceptional systems, I aim to uncover the processes that shape genomes, organisms, and populations over evolutionary time.
My long-term goal is to build an integrative research program that connects reproductive biology, genomics, and evolutionary theory to better understand how reproductive systems evolve and influence biodiversity.
In 2024, I completed my PhD, with my thesis receiving nominations for both the Rector's Honor List and Best Thesis Awards. I then joined Dr. Judith E. Mank's laboratory at the University of British Columbia, where I investigated sex chromosome evolution in the remarkable guppy family.
Today, I am a recipient of the FRQNT Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and conduct research in Dr. Stephen Wright's laboratory at the University of Toronto. My current work explores the evolutionary processes driving recombination loss and sex chromosome divergence, with the goal of understanding how genomes evolve across diverse reproductive systems.