Current research projects:
Investigating differential expression and allele-specific expression in embryonic samples of cave, surface, and F1 hybrid individuals with the goal of identifying genes/ pathways responsible for the differences between cave and surface individuals. Image below (surface individual and cave individual)
Examining multiple independently evolved cave populations of Asellus aquaticus to see if the same or different regions/genes are responsible for changes in eye and pigmentation. Image below (F2 individuals with various eye and pigment phenotypes)
Examining pigment and eye variation present within surface populations to see if standing variation could be responsible for the evolution of these characteristics in the cave form. Image below (surface individuals with various phenotypes- orange pigment, no eye, stellate pigment pattern, red pigment)
