Current Research Program:

I am interested in the physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation within species, i.e., variation in whole-organism traits such as size, fecundity and behaviour. I am motivated by both evolutionary questions (e.g., ‘What genes and pathways are involved in adaptations?’ and ‘What forces maintain genetic variation?’) as well as medical issues (e.g., ‘How and why do people vary in medically important traits?’).

My recent work has involved the study of quantitative trait loci (QTL) that affect body size in mice, i.e., regions of the genome that contribute to continuous variation rather than major mutations that cause serious abnormalities. I am now examining (a) the pathways through which one of these QTL exerts its effect on growth, and (b) whether the loci and pathways responsible for variation in inbred strains of lab mice also contribute to variation in natural populations. For more information, please see my Lab Page.