research interests
From spiders and their venom to social insects and their genomes—my research is motivated by a desire to understand evolutionary processes at a fundamental level.
CAVES
My interest in evolutionary biology developed deep below ground. While exploring the depths of a cave I discovered that cave ecosystems function like islands underground, facilitating speciation through isolation. Cave species exhibit a suite of morphological and physiological modifications, ranging from enhanced sensory systems to extreme shifts in life strategies. To learn more about the patterns and processes that lead to the evolutionary shift to cave life I began a collaborative project with non-profit, state, and federal agencies to document biodiversity in caves. My work led to the discovery of many new species, new genera, and even a new family of spider. The new family represented the most significant discovery in the field of arachnology in more than a century and demonstrated the importance of studying these remarkable ecosystems.
SPIDERS
My prior research focused on studying the evolution of cave spiders using a phylogenetic framework. During my undergraduate studies I employed a suite of morphological and molecular methods to test competing hypotheses for speciation in caves and learned that cave spiders have remarkably deep evolutionary histories. I continued with graduate coursework, where I applied my broad interest in caves to different disciplines. I critically evaluated molecular data for phylogenetic studies, applied microanalytical methods in electron microscopy to study the composition of specimens, and applied principles in neurophysiology to understand how the loss of eyes in cave spiders effects the structure and function of the brain. My research was supported by numerous fellowships and was even recognized by the prestigious Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation.
VENOM
I have always been fascinated by spiders–from their incredible diversity to their ability to exploit new niches and become ecological specialists. As I learned more about spiders, I came to realize that the success of spiders is attributed to the evolution of complex biologically active venoms. These venoms are composed of polypeptides, proteins, and low molecular mass organic molecules that work synergistically to modulate ion channels and surface receptors in prey. The evolution and maintenance of these venoms is tightly linked to the ecology of the spider, which presents an excellent opportunity to understand the eco-evolutionary dynamics of the system. I applied my background in arachnology to study how adaptation to different predation strategies and ecological niches influenced the evolution of the venom system in spiders.
METAGENOMICS
I used next-generation imaging and second-generation sequencing techniques to offer novel insight into the evolutionary ecology of spiders obligate to termite nests. I developed a workflow integrating a broad range of quality control and de novo assembly algorithms to extract regions of interest for phylogenetic analysis. Taxonomic annotation of the metagenome revealed both termite DNA and termite gut symbionts in the spider, suggesting a specialization in termites. The detection of symbionts is an exciting discovery, since spiders do not possess a core microbiome and are hypothesized to acquire components of microbiome of their prey. In addition, reduced venom glands and a network of unusual glandular structures were located above the brain that are likely used for chemical mimicry to avoid detection by termites. This study demonstrates the importance of combining different types of trait data to explore predator-prey relationships.
