In addition to continued studies of Arabidopsis, Chris has expanded his work to include the population genetics and comparative genomics of various Fusarium species.
Some projects have made use of genome-wide variation data to explore adaptation and natural genetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Others have explored speciation and comparative genomics.
My main interests include potential adaptive shifts in pathogen populations represented by changes in the composition of secondary metabolites produced or changes in the frequency of pathogen races as host plant resistance genes are overcome.
I am exploring methods to collect genome-wide variation data from species with a sequenced reference genome (Fusarium graminearum), am interested in understanding changes in host specialization by studying closely related species with different host ranges (F. proliferatum and F. fujikuroi), and would like to use methods for association mapping and hitchhiking mapping to identify pathogen effectors (cereal rusts).
Specialization
- Bioinformatics
- Plant and fungal genetics/genomics
- Population genetics, molecular evolution, evolutionary genomics
Interests Include:
- The application of next-generation sequencing technology (Illumina, 454) to questions in population genetics, transcriptomics, comparative genomics, functional genomics and QTL mapping
- The characterization of natural populations, including quantifying their similarity at the genetic level and identifying divergent genome regions that may contribute to adaptation to the environment
- The natural genetic variation found in different species, the connection this variation has to important traits and adaptation, and the molecular and population-level forces that contribute to the levels and patterns of this variation (i.e. mutation, recombination, genetic drift, demography, and natural selection)
- The study of model and non-model organisms, fungi and plants, and both natural and domesticated species
- Using natural genetic variation for QTL or association mapping of important plant and fungal traits
Research Specialty:
