Daven C. Presgraves

Daven C. Presgraves is the Shirley Cox Kearns Professor of Biology at the University of Rochester's Department of Biology within the School of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on evolutionary genetics, speciation genetics, and molecular population genetics, particularly studying selfish genetic elements like transposons and meiotic drivers. He investigates how these elements influence genome evolution, speciation, sex chromosome evolution, and meiotic recombination.

His research highlights include work on hybrid incompatibility genes in Drosophila species, demonstrating their role in molecular arms races with selfish elements. He has also explored the role of X chromosomes in speciation through genome-wide introgression experiments and studies of neo-sex chromosomes in birds. Collaborations with Al Uy’s lab examine evolutionary genomics of neo-sex chromosomes in Myzomela honeyeaters.

Notable areas of study include meiotic drive mechanisms (e.g., Segregation Distorter in Drosophila) and the evolution of meiotic recombination rates, linking them to transposon dynamics. His work emphasizes the interplay between gene flow, hybrid sterility, and meiotic drive in speciation processes.

Education details are not explicitly listed, but his PhD credentials are noted. His lab actively accepts PhD students and is located in 481 Hutchison Hall. No scientific awards are mentioned in the text, but his extensive publication record reflects significant contributions to evolutionary genetics.