J.P. Lawrence

J.P. Lawrence is an Assistant Professor at Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, teaching Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology. He combines evolutionary biology research with nature photography and science communication.

• Education: Ph.D. in Biology (University of Mississippi), M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife (Michigan State), B.S. in Zoology (Michigan State)
• Postdoctoral: University of California, Irvine

His research focuses on conspicuous signaling in animals, particularly aposematic coloration in poison frogs. Key projects include:

• Relaxation of selection in aposematic species
• Toxin sequestration pipeline in Dendrobates tinctorius
• Predator learning and signal diversity
• Demographic studies in Oophaga pumilio populations
• Honest signaling in dietary-dependent toxicity

Recent publications analyze predator responses to alkaloid variation, toxin acquisition mechanisms, and visual perception in tropical species. Awards include Australian Endeavour Fellowship and NSF grants. He has taught genetics labs and led study abroad programs to Panama, Costa Rica, and Malaysian Borneo.