Todd Barkman

Todd Barkman, Professor of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University, specializes in evolutionary biochemistry, plant systematics, and molecular evolution. His research focuses on enzyme function evolution within the SABATH multigene family and tropical plant biodiversity in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia. He leads the Barkman Lab, which combines fieldwork in rainforests with lab-based ancestral protein resurrection studies.

Education:

• Postdoctorate, Pennsylvania State University (1998–2000)
• Ph.D., Botany, University of Texas (1998)
• M.S., Botany, Michigan State University (1993)
• B.S., Botany, Michigan State University (1990)

Research Highlights: Dr. Barkman investigates the evolution of plant specialized metabolism, including caffeine biosynthesis in plants and the enzymatic mechanisms of parasitic plants like Rafflesia. His work integrates genomic data with biochemical experiments to understand how proteins evolve new functions over time. Recent studies focus on the systematics and conservation of tropical species such as Schefflera (now Heptapleurum) in Borneo.

Current Projects:

• Documentation of rare tropical flora in Malaysia
• Resurrection of ancestral enzymes to study functional divergence
• Analysis of parasitic plant mitochondrial genomes

Advising & Grants: Supervises three advisees: Emily Catania and Bahar Saadaie Jahromi (PhD candidates) and Liberty Kostrewa (M.S. candidate). Collaborates on grants supporting field expeditions and lab-based genomic studies.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Barkman Lab, which emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to plant evolution and conservation. Active in international collaborations, particularly with Malaysian research institutions.