Research Areas
Chromosome structure, dynamics, and genetics
Genome, speciation in insects, Lepidoptera
Mathematical theory in evolution and population genetics
Problems of Interest
Holocentric chromosomes
Many insects have lost conventional centromeres. Why did they abandon centromeres? And how were they lost? Looking beyond classical model organisms is crucial to understanding the true diversity of holocentric chromosomes. To this end, I am actively pursuing the following questions in Lepidoptera: i) What are the evolutionary intermediates between monocentric and holocentric chromosomes? ii) General patterns of meiosis/mitosis on holocentric chromosomes. iii) Possible reversal to monocentricity in Lepidoptera? iv) Sources of karyotypic stability/instability in Lepidoptera.
Ongoing work: Expansion of transposons in Papilio bianor and related species.
Hybrid incompatibilities
While hybrid incompatibilities are well documented, their causal mechanisms are known only in a small set of organisms. My prior work shows that, at least in butterflies, polygenic interaction between the sex chromosome and autosomes can explain a number of hybrid phenotypes. However, the nature of such polygenic effects remains to be revealed.
Ongoing work: Hybrid dysgenesis in Pterourus swallowtails.
Repetitive DNA
Repetitive DNA may pose a challenge for cells during mitosis, meiosis, and other important processes. There is a lack of both theoretical frameworks and experimental methods to perturb repetitive DNA to study its function and evolution. Notably, no method exists (yet) to probe its fine-scale 3D structure (Hi-C is blind to repeats). What could be a good extension of Hi-C into a repetitive region?
Ongoing work: Mapping disregulators of the 359-bp satellite DNA in Drosophila hybrids.
Theory in evolution and genetics
I have explored several theoretical topics in the past, and most problems arose naturally during experiments (shown below). My approach for theories is that you build one when needed in empirical work, and they have often improved the rigor of empirical analysis. The models mostly stem from stochastic dynamical systems and probability theories.
The stability of hybrid incompatibilities with persistent gene flow
Structured coalescent when mutation rates differ between subpopulations
The entropy of ancestry tracts in hybridization
How blocks of polygenes appear as "fake" large-effect QTLs in genetic crosses
Bayesian QTL mapping algorithm tailored to Drosophila sex ratio from single pairs
Currently, I am exploring theoretical tools to study repetitive DNA.
What am I Learning Now?
Being in research means learning something new constantly.
My current goal is to learn microscopy techniques to visualize chromosomes and repeats