About
Aleksandar Popadic is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Wayne State University, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on insect evolution, developmental biology, and comparative genomics, particularly investigating morphological diversification in insects such as honey bees and Gryllus species. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (1994) and completed postdoctoral training at HHMI (1995-97) as an Alfred P. Sloan/NSF Research Fellow (1997-99).
- Education:
- Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1994
- Postdoctoral Researcher, HHMI, 1995-97
- Alfred P. Sloan/NSF Research Fellow, 1997-99
His research integrates genetics, genomics, and evolutionary perspectives to address questions about insect body plan flexibility, including wing origin, pigmentation mechanisms, and pollen basket development in honey bees. This work has practical implications for pest control strategies.
Notable awards include the Fulbright Research Fellowship (2013-14), President's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2012), and multiple College of Science Teaching Awards. He currently teaches courses such as BIO5290 Evolutionary Medicine and BIO2700 Evolution: Basic Concepts and Applications.
