Terpene synthase evolution in relation to mutualistic and antagonistic insect interactions

Terpenes are the largest and most diverse class of plant secondary metabolites and their biosynthesis is in large part controlled by terpene synthase genes. I am working to reconstruct the evolution of this gene family in Oenothera through transitions in pollinators and in taxa that host different species of specialized micromoth herbivores. Many of the species included in this project show variation in their production of linalool, a volatile terpene compound, as well as other scent chemistry. I hope to uncover the origin of this polymorphism, and test whether it is a plesiomorphic trait in Oenothera harringtonii as well as show patterns of convergent evolution in terpene synthase genes in species that have transitioned to the same pollinators.

Evolutionary genomics in Onagraceae

I am excited to be working on the assembly and annotation of the Oenothera harringtonii genome, as well as the Oenothera lavandulifolia genome in collaboration with Ben Cooper. These genomes will provide a valuable resource for a group that has long been of interest for chromosomal evolution, and add to our understanding of the genomes of non-model plant species.

Linalool production in Oenothera harringtonii (Onagraceae)

My graduate research aims to understand how selection acts on linalool production in the Arkansas Valley Evening primrose by studying its heritability and genomic basis, and its effects on fitness and mating dynamics. This work combines many fields of plant biology, including population genetics, biochemistry, ecology, plant breeding, and genomics. Undergraduates interested in this project can apply to the NSF REU program at the Chicago Botanic Garden. My interest in Onagraceae came from working as a research assistant with the Landscapes of Linalool project and if you'd like to know how my work fits into the larger picture in this system, please check out this website.

Past Projects

Associations between morphology, phylogeny, and phytochemistry in Mexican Viburnums

As an undergraduate at Brown University, I extracted and analyzed the leaf chemistry of a group of rapidly radiated Mexican Viburnum to understand whether chemistry was associated with changes in morphology or phylogenetic relationships. Leaf chemistry correlates with morphology in these species, and may be associated with different herbivore communities on co-occurring but morphologically (and chemically) distinct sister species! This work was part of the wide range of Viburnum research on-going in the Edwards and Donoghue Labs at Yale University, and the Cacho Lab at UNAM.

Changes in native and introduced plant community composition in an urban park

As a research intern with the Urban Ecology Center of Milwaukee, I completed vegetation surveys of Riverside Park, identifying all plants in their permanent research quadrats to species. I compiled these data with those from a previous year to create a baseline for plant community composition for this urban park. My report was used in grant writing and planning for long-term vegetation monitoring at UEC.