About
David Queller is the Spencer T. Olin Professor of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis. He holds a primary affiliation in the Department of Biology within the College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on evolutionary mechanisms of cooperation and conflict, spanning genetic/molecular studies of social amoebas to theoretical models of social behavior.
Queller's empirical work with collaborator Joan Strassmann examines cooperation in social amoebae (Dictyostelium) and their bacterial symbionts, alongside conflict dynamics between these organisms and their prey. Their studies combine genomic analyses of past adaptation with experimental evolution in real-time. Theoretical investigations explore cooperation through population genetics, inclusive fitness, and game theory frameworks.
Key themes include altruistic behavior evolution, parent-offspring conflict, and cooperative mechanisms in social insects/amoebae. His work bridges molecular biology, ecology, and evolutionary theory to address fundamental questions about how cooperative traits emerge despite evolutionary pressures favoring 'selfish' strategies.
Queller's lab engages in cross-disciplinary research, integrating field studies, lab experiments, and computational modeling. Notable contributions include pioneering studies on kin selection dynamics in social organisms and reinterpreting evolutionary conflict through modern genomic perspectives. His work has been published in top journals like Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
