John Logsdon Ph.D.

The Logsdon lab works on a variety of related topics in molecular evolutionary genetics:

SEX & MEIOSIS:

1. Exploring the origin and evolution of meiotic genes in diverse eukaryotes.
2. Molecular evolution and phylogeny of meiotic genes.
3. Isolation of meiosis-related genes from protists and other eukaryotes.
4. Functional studies of meiotic genes isolated from diverse eukaryotes.
5. Bioinformatic studies of meiosis and recombination/repair genes.

TREES:

1. Understanding the molecular phylogeny of eukaryotes.
2. Using complex gene families to root the eukaryotic tree of life.
3. Isolating new protein genes to address thorny issues in eukaryotic phylogeny.

LATERAL GENE TRANSFER:

1. Developing a better understanding of the frequency, roles, distribution and phylogenetic impacts of LGT in prokaryotes.
2. Comparative bioinformatics of bacterial genomes.
3. Mathematical modeling/ computer simulation.

GENOMES:

1. Discovery and analysis of genomic sequence from key protists.
2. Comparative bioinformatics of protist genomes as grist for hypothesis-driven research in the lab.

INTRONS:

1. Understanding of the origin and evolution of spliceosomal introns
2. What are their roles in eukaryotic genome evolution? What is their phylogenetic distribution?