Detailed Biography:

Research Interest: An analysis of how the complex promoter of the early development gene even-skipped (eve) evolved in Drosophila. My laboratory focuses on evolutionary problems, drawing on data and experimental procedures from developmetal biology, genetics, paleontology and molecular & morphological phylogenetics. Current projects include: 1) An analysis of how the complex promoter of the early development gene even-skipped (eve) evolved in Drosophila. To this end we are characterizing the eve promoter in a more primitive insect, the red flour beetle Tribolium. 2) A phylogenetic analysis of sea urchins using the taxonomic distribution of middle repetitive DNA families within the group. The approach should be the first homoplasy-free molecular phylogenetic approach, unless there has been fairly extensive horizontal transfer of DNA between the urchin species. 3) We are also actively exploring new statistical approaches for assessing the robustness of phylogenetic trees and assessing the incompleteness of the fossil record. There is also a general interest in the how the fossil and rocks records contribute to our understanding of evolution. Students are encouraged to develop their own projects under the broad evolutionary umbrella within the laboratory and, if necessary, in conjunction with other laboratories at UCLA.