Douglas R. Taylor

Douglas R. Taylor is the Commonwealth Professor of Biology in the Department of Biology at the University of Virginia, where he leads research on population genetics, molecular evolution, and genomics with a focus on spatially structured populations. His work integrates molecular methods, field studies, and theoretical modeling to explore evolutionary dynamics in metapopulations.

His research program centers on:

• Evolution of population structure and genetic diversity maintenance
• Genetics of biological invasions and range expansions
• Genetic conflict across biological levels (e.g., nuclear-mitochondrial interactions)
• Mitochondrial genome evolution in plants, particularly in the genus Silene
• Mating system evolution and sex ratio dynamics

Analysis of his 2014-2025 publications reveals consistent emphasis on plant model systems (especially Silene species), with recurring themes in organelle genome evolution, cyto-nuclear coadaptation, and the ecological genetics of invasive species. His work frequently combines long-term field data with genomic approaches to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology.

Professor Taylor has secured significant research funding including an NSF LTREB grant for metapopulation studies in the Silene-Microbotryum host-pathogen system and an NSF CAREER award for sex ratio evolution research. He actively recruits graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to his lab, emphasizing collaborative opportunities through his 30+ year longitudinal study of natural metapopulations.

The Taylor Lab, based in Gilmer Hall, maintains extensive genomic resources from long-term ecological studies and serves as a hub for collaborative research on evolutionary processes in structured populations, with particular applications to invasion biology and host-pathogen coevolution.