I am an organismal biologist and postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University studying morphological evo-devo and developmental genomics.  My work generally focuses on reptiles, most often gecko lizards, as models to study the processes that generate morphological diversity.

​How have organisms and their anatomical features achieved so many shapes and sizes? This central question drives my fascination with the natural world. My research integrates many types of data, such as natural history information, phylogenetic comparative methods, morphological measurements, embryology, µCT, fluorescent imaging, and comparative genomics and transcriptomics to study evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo).

See my "Publications" page or the summaries below for more about my research interests!

morphology in an evolutionary context

Characterizing phenotypic diversity in an evolutionary (phylogenetic) context is crucial for understanding the origins of distinct morphologies and how lineages diversify. In particular, I am interested in morphological features that have evolved numerous times (convergent evolution). By characterizing morphological features, understanding their ecological and behavioral function, and contextualizing them in the evolutionary history of a group, we can begin to  create a hypothesis-testing framework for understanding the origins of morphological diversity.

​Some of the morphologies I have studied include adhesive pads in lizards, pigment phenotypes, and microscopic skin structures.

developmental patterns underlying morphological diversity

After characterizing gross anatomy, tissue organization, and knowing how many times a particular morphology has evolved, developmental data reveals how a structure is built. Investigating development in an evolutionary context results in the identification of conserved, divergent, or parallely evolved developmental patterns. Using developmental data  allows us to understand spatial, temporal, and biophysical constraints on morphological development and evolution.

Some elements I've investigated development of include adhesive toe pads of lizards, eye morphology, skeletal features, and amniote lungs.

molecular and genomic drivers of morphological diversity

Once we have identified development patterns underlying the evolution of a particular morphology, characterizing the underlying protein products, transcriptomes, and genomic regulatory landscapes provides a deeper mechanistic understanding of morphological evolution. During my postdoctoral work, I have expanded the scope of my research by using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq), and other comparative genomic methods. Using the methodology and integrating the data outlined above, I am able to connect diverse phenotypes to macroevolutionary patterns, underlying developmental patterns, and ultimately to the genotypes that give rise to these forms

Some on-going projects using these methods have revolved around understanding the origins and development of smooth muscle in amniote lungs and uncovering the transcriptomic and genomic bases of gliding membrane evolution in geckos.

gecko natural history

Geckos (Gekkota) are a group of lizards of over 2,400 described species — over 20% of known lizard and snake diversity! These charismatic lizards not only exhibit a suite of diverse, derived morphologies, ecologies, and behaviors, but also exhibit an overall body plan that is considered similar to ancestral lizards. Many of these derived morphologies (e.g. adhesive toe pads) have evolved numerous times within gecko evolutionary history. Though my research primarily focuses on morphological development, robust phylogenetic hypotheses and a knowledge of natural history are critical to understand evolutionary and ecological contexts. For these reasons, phylogenetic methods, field collection, and field observation are major components of my research.