Jeffrey Powell

Our laboratory focuses on genetic aspects of the evolutionary process. The majority of our work is based on analysis of DNA, although the results are applied to issues of basic evolution, population biology, phylogeography, and phylogenies. We use molecular data to understand higher level phenomena. There are 3 major research programs of interest: Anopheles and Aedes mosquito genetics, the evolution of codon usage bias in Drosophila, and conservation genetics of Galápagos Tortoises. While these may seem like rather disparate areas of research, much of the empirical data is the same, as are the analytical techniques and conceptual issues. These are simply examples of the application of modern evolutionary genetics in different contexts.