Principal Investigator
Stephane Boissinot, PhD. Professor of Biology
I am an evolutionary biologist whose research addresses fundamental biological questions using the tools and concepts of population genetics, molecular evolution and comparative genomics. My main research interests are the evolution of transposable elements, the phylogeography of east African taxa and the evolution of resistance to viruses. I was member of the faculty at Queens College (City University of New York) until 2014. I joined NYU Abu Dhabi in January 2015. CV
Postdocs
Sandra Goutte, PhD
I am broadly interested in the evolution of behavior and functional morphology in anurans, with a focus on acoustic communication. By integrating empirical and experimental data in a phylogenetic framework, I investigate the factors that may have led to the diversity of communication systems we observe today.
I have previously worked on frog acoustic communication and hearing in Asia and South and Central America. I joined the Boissinot lab in February 2018 where my main focus is the acoustic communication of African frogs.
Justin Wilcox, PhD
I have a passionate interest in elucidating the principles and mechanics governing the population biology, community ecology, and evolution of symbionts and their hosts. Recent advances in sequencing technology have provided radically new insights into the genetic architecture of vertebrates while simultaneously revealing them as hosts to intricately-complex communities (i.e. microbiomes) of parasites, commensals, and mutualists. These discoveries have provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the evolution of these symbionts and their vertebrate hosts and to assess the universality of existing evolutionary and ecological theory across the tree of life and the divide between free-living organisms and the communities that they harbor. My current research seeks to capitalize on these opportunities by applying genomics-based approaches to answer questions of diversification, selection, and genetic architecture in falcons and their associated communities of symbionts.
Sebastian Kirchhof, PhD
I joined the Boissinot lab in September 2018 and now aim at targeting the genomic underpinnings of trait variations and evolutionary change, focusing on desert reptiles and tropical anurans. I will use functional genomics in combination with ecophysiology experiments to answer questions regarding genomic functions at the level of genes, RNA transcripts and proteins under extreme environmental conditions such as ultra-aridity (i.e. in deserts) and high elevations.
Dareen Almojil, PhD
My main interest lies in understanding factors that constrain or maintain biodiversity. This includes historical events and geographical constrains influencing gene flow, and ecological conditions generating new adaptations to specific niches. I have joined the Boissinot lab in March 2020 and I will be working on the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis.
Xenopus laevis is specifically an interesting model to study, as it is not only a very successful invasive species with broad adaptation ranges, but also an allotetraploid which will allow us to add another interesting dimension to our study; to understand if and how polyploidy enhances diversity, adaptation and resilience in nature
Research Assistant
Imtiyaz Hariyani
My interests primarily lie in the bioinformatic analysis of genomic data to answer biological and in particular, macroevolutionary questions. I completed my undergraduate capstone project to study patterns of transposable element (TE) amplification and speciation in the Ptychadena frog species complex using whole genome sequencing data. Currently in the role of a Research Assistant, I am working to extend my research on this topic while also studying the population dynamics of transposable elements in desert reptiles and the green anole. I am also interested in deciphering the genetic basis of adaptation and am using transcriptome data to identify candidate genes and loci involved in adaptation to high elevation in Ethiopian frogs.
Undergrads
Marcin Falis
I am a sophomore student at NYU Abu Dhabi, and come from Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland. I have a vivid interest in ecology and evolution of animal species, especially in systematics and ecophysiology of reptiles and amphibians. I joined the Boissinot lab in September 2018, where I aim to familiarize myself with computational techniques of genome analysis, and gain invaluable experience through participation in the conducted fieldwork.
Kole Utzinger
I am from Bozeman, Montana in the United States. I am a junior, and began working in the Boissinot lab in the Fall 2019 semester. I have a deep interest in ecology and environmental biology, specifically in regards to species conservation and evolution. In the lab, I work with Sandra Goutte on frogs, and hope to continue to gain valuable research experience to apply on future projects.
Previous Lab Members
Previous postdocs
Yann Bourgeois, PhD
Yann is now a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth!
Jacobo Reyes-Velasco, PhD
www.jacoboreyesvelasco.com
Robert Ruggiero, PhD
Rob is now Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Southeast Missouri State University!
www.robertruggiero-biologist.com
Joseph D. Manthey, PhD
Previous undergrads
Sudikchya Shrestha
Mona Nehme
Jigar Govind
JooHee Choi