Karen Carleton

Karen Carleton is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, specializing in the evolution of visual systems and sensory communication in vertebrates. Her research focuses on African cichlid fishes and other species, exploring how natural and sexual selection shape visual adaptations. She teaches courses such as BSCI 207 (Principles of Biology III), BSCI 338C (Genomics of Sensory Systems), and PHYS 131 (Fundamentals of Physics for Biologists). Her work integrates genetics, ecology, and genomics to understand the mechanisms underlying visual tuning and spectral sensitivity.

Key research interests include the evolution of phototransduction proteins, opsin gene expression plasticity, and the role of transposable elements in diversification. She is affiliated with the Graduate Program in Physiological Systems (PSYS), Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics (BEES), and Molecular & Cellular Biology (MOCB) at the University of Maryland. Her lab, the Carleton Lab, investigates topics such as color vision in deep-sea fish and visual adaptation in nocturnal species.

Recent publications highlight her contributions to understanding genomic mechanisms driving sensory evolution, including studies on cichlid diversity, opsin gene regulation, and visual adaptation in extreme environments. She has been recognized with Faculty Honors & Awards (2023) and contributes to interdisciplinary education initiatives, such as UMD's Grand Challenge courses on Global Change.