Evolutionary genomics of dinoflagellates
Genome evolution of dinoflagellates including the coral reef symbionts (family Symbiodiniaceae) and other bloom-forming, toxin-producing species
Our core research focuses on the evolutionary transition of dinoflagellates from free-living to establishing symbiosis with diverse hosts in the coral reefs, and how dinoflagellates diversified to inhabit wide-ranging ecological niches.
Funding: Australian Research Council, UQ Genome Innovation Hub
Collaborators: Debashish Bhattacharya (Rutgers US), Boyke Bunk (DSMZ), Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty (Florida Intl U), Madeleine van Oppen (Melbourne U), David Suggett (U Tech Sydney), Christian Voolstra (U Konstanz), Irene Wagner-Dobler (TU Braunschweig)
Hologenomics of symbiosis
Genomics of symbiosis and how different partners contribute to sustain a healthy holobiont
We adopt integrated omics approach to assess the genetic capacity of symbiotic partners in sustaining a functional ecological unit.
Funding: Australian Research Council, Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation, UQ Genome Innovation Hub, Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program
Collaborators: Mark Aarts (Wageningen U), Debashish Bhattacharya (Rutgers US), Patrick Buerger (Macquarie U), Ira Cooke (James Cook U), Peter Erskine (U Queensland), Jose Victor Lopez (Nova Southeastern U), Lauren Messer (Queensland U Tech), Cynthia Riginos (U Queensland), Mike Sweet (Derby U), Antony van der Ent (U Queensland), Madeleine van Oppen (Melbourne U), Heroen Verbruggen (U Melbourne)
Ecology & evolution of non-model genomes
Linking de novo genomics to environmental adaptation, evolution and biodiversity
We study the innovation of genomes relative to the organismal adaptation to diverse ecological niches including extreme environments. Our research spans the range from microbes, draught-resistant plants, weeds, corals, to jellyfish.
Funding: Australian Research Council, UQ Genome Innovation Hub, Pacific Biosciences, São Paulo Research Foundation
Collaborators: Debashish Bhattacharya (Rutgers US), Peter Erskine (U Queensland), Jeferson Gross (São Paulo State U), Luke Guddat (U Queensland), Glenn King (U Queensland), Tim McDermott (Montana U), Gary Schenk (U Queensland), Jamie Seymour (James Cook U), Xiaoyang Su (Rutgers US), Timothy Stephens (Rutgers US), Antony van der Ent (U Queensland), Heroen Verbruggen (U Melbourne), Hwan Su Yoon (Sungkyunkwan U)
Scalable phylogenomics
Scalable inference of evolutionary relationships using whole-genome data without sequence alignment
We develop and explore the use of alignment-free methods in large-scale inference of genome evolution as networks, beyond the conventional tree-like assumption of evolutionary history.
Collaborators: Guillaume Bernard (IBEN CNRS, France), Wojciech Karlowski (Adam Mickiewicz U, Poland), Burkhard Morgenstern (U Göttingen), Fengzhu Sun (U Southern California), Andrzej Zielezinski (Adam Mickiewicz U, Poland)