Tiago Simões

Tiago Simões is an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University, affiliated with the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) as an Associated Faculty member. His research integrates genomic, morphological, and paleoclimatic data to investigate major evolutionary transitions in vertebrates, particularly reptiles, and their responses to climate change. He leads the Simões Lab, which focuses on reconstructing deep-time evolutionary patterns through phylogenomic studies and comparative anatomy.

Research interests include the origins of vertebrate groups, evolutionary innovations (e.g., body armor in ankylosaurs), and the interplay between environmental shifts and biodiversity. The lab actively recruits undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs, emphasizing creativity and interdisciplinary approaches. Simões collaborates on tools like the EvoPhylo R package for phylogenetic analysis and contributes to the Grand Challenges Program at HMEI.

His work spans diverse methodologies, from X-ray computed tomography of fossils to Bayesian phylogenetic dating, with a focus on resolving taxonomic ambiguities (e.g., Cryptovaranoides reclassification). Publications address topics like Triassic reptile phylogeny, Cretaceous snake evolution, and the impact of past climate crises on reptilian diversification.