Exploring evolution at the molecular and cellular level
Evolution is a fundamental process with profound impact on our daily lives – from the rise in antibiotic resistance to responses to global environmental change. Driven in part by ecological pressures, evolutionary change starts at the cellular level, but is ultimately a genetic process.
The Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution is a globally unique research group focused on the specific mechanisms that govern evolutionary change, starting with the building blocks of cells and their molecules. Our goal is to decipher the general rules by which evolution proceeds in different lineages of organisms using experimental laboratory results and a mathematical framework. In essence, we are aiming to establish an entirely new field called evolutionary cell biology.
In addition to funding to individual research labs, we and our associates are collectively funded by an NSF Biological Integration Institute on Mechanisms of Cellular Evolution.
Biological Integration Institute for Mechanisms of Cellular Evolution
The institute is part of an NSF program that encourages collaborative teams to investigate questions that cross disciplines within and beyond biology.
Director
Michael Lynch
Michael Lynch researches mechanisms of evolution at the gene, genomic, cellular and phenotypic levels, giving special attention to the role of mutation, random genetic drift and recombination. He is a major force in promoting neutral theories to explain variation in genomic and gene-structural architecture based on the effects of population sizes in different lineages. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Contact
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Support the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution
Uncovering the mechanisms of evolution at the gene, genomic, cellular and phenotypic levels, with attention to the roles of mutation, random genetic drift and recombination.