Evolutionary Development Professors and Supervisors | ApplySharif

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Jian PengView profile

Associate Professor

University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States

Jian Peng is an Associate Professor and Willett Faculty Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with primary appointment in the Department of Computer Science and courtesy appointments in the College of Medicine. He holds affiliate positions at the Institute of Genomic Biology, Cancer Center at Illinois, and National Center for Supercomputing Applications. His research integrates computational biology and machine learning, focusing on functional genomics, cancer genomics, neurodegenerative diseases, deep learning architectures, and reinforcement learning applications in biological domains. His work bridges algorithmic development with real-world biomedical challenges. Analysis of recent publications (2020-2021) reveals strong emphasis on machine learning applications in drug design, protein engineering, and computational biology. Key technical themes include generative modeling for molecular structures, reinforcement learning advancements, causal inference frameworks, and novel computer vision approaches. The work demonstrates consistent interdisciplinary innovation across computational and biological domains. Major Scientific Awards: Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Fellow (2020) Overton Prize - ISCB (2020) Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (2020) C.W. Gear Junior Faculty Award (2019) NSF CAREER Award (2017-2022) Sloan Research Fellowship (2016) He leads significant research initiatives including co-directing the NSF AI Institute's Molecular Maker Lab and an ASAP collaborative grant for Parkinson's disease research. His students have secured faculty positions at leading institutions including Georgia Tech and University of Washington.

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Stefanie WienkoopView profile

Professor

University of ViennaAustria

Stefanie Wienkoop is a University Professor at the University of Vienna's Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology within the Life Sciences faculty. She serves as Vice-Director of Studies for Ecology and Evolution and is part of the Directorate of Doctoral Studies. Her research focuses on plant-microbe interactions using advanced proteomic and metabolomic approaches. Her primary research interests center on molecular plant-microsymbiont interactions, particularly examining how legumes interact with nitrogen-fixing bacteria under environmental stress conditions. She investigates drought stress responses, symbiotic nitrogen fixation mechanisms, and the molecular systems biology of plant-microbe relationships using mass spectrometry and other omics technologies. Her work bridges fundamental plant biology with practical applications for improving crop resilience in changing climate conditions. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on plant stress responses, particularly drought tolerance mechanisms in various plant species including legumes, maize, and barley. Her research integrates proteomics, metabolomics, and systems biology approaches to understand how plants adapt to environmental challenges at the molecular level. A recurring theme is the investigation of symbiotic relationships between plants and microbes as a strategy for enhancing stress tolerance while maintaining growth performance. Professor Wienkoop leads the SYMPROFERR project (P 33930), funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), which investigates the role of ferritin in nodule formation, symbiosis functioning, and priming of drought tolerance. This project runs from March 2021 to February 2024 and represents a significant research investment in understanding plant-microbe interactions under climate stress. She actively supervises multiple PhD and Master's students, including Carlos Perez-Rizquez, Sebastian Schneider, and others who have made notable contributions to the field. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on molecular ecology of plants, proteomics in systems biology, and biodiversity research. She is also involved in organizing major international conferences in plant proteomics and nitrogen fixation research, demonstrating her leadership in the international scientific community.

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Pasi SihvonenView profile

Adjunct Professor

University of HelsinkiFinland

Dr. Pasi Sihvonen serves as Docent in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Helsinki, where he also holds the position of Director of the Zoology Unit at the Finnish Museum of Natural History. He supervises doctoral students in the Wildlife Biology Doctoral Programme and has directed numerous international research projects focused on geometrid moth systematics. His work combines molecular and morphological approaches to study one of the most diverse insect groups globally. Dr. Sihvonen's research focuses on the systematics and biodiversity of geometrid moths (Geometridae), a megadiverse insect radiation comprising approximately 24,000 species worldwide. His work emphasizes large-scale international collaborations that integrate molecular data with morphological analysis to understand evolutionary patterns. He is particularly known for his contributions to the landmark monograph series "Geometrid Moths of Europe" and advocates for digitization of natural history collections to provide open access to biodiversity data. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on geometrid moth taxonomy, phylogenetics, and biogeography, with increasing incorporation of advanced technologies like micro-CT scanning for integrative taxonomy. His research spans diverse geographical regions including Europe, Africa, and South America, revealing patterns of diversification and adaptation across this globally distributed moth family. Dr. Sihvonen has received several prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to lepidopterology and taxonomy: Publication of the Year from the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa (2014) Lepidopterist of the Year in Finland from the Lepidopterological Society of Finland (2004, 2015) Risto Tuomikoski Prize for Taxonomist of the Year in Finland (2007) As a supervisor in the Doctoral Programme in Wildlife Biology, Dr. Sihvonen guides the next generation of taxonomists and evolutionary biologists. His grant portfolio includes significant international projects such as SYNTHESYS+ (2019-2023), BioMonitor4CAP (2022-2026), and BGE Europe (2024-2025), demonstrating his leadership in biodiversity research and monitoring initiatives across Europe. Dr. Sihvonen leads research teams at the Finnish Museum of Natural History's Zoology Unit, which maintains extensive insect collections that serve as critical resources for biodiversity research. His current projects focus on advanced biodiversity monitoring, pollinator conservation, and developing genomic resources for Finnish arthropods, positioning his work at the intersection of traditional taxonomy and modern conservation science.

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Koh Lian PinView profile

Professor

National University of SingaporeSingapore

Prof. Koh Lian Pin serves as Director of the National University of Singapore's Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, Vice President (Sustainability and Resilience), and Chief Sustainability Scientist. He holds the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professorship in Conservation within the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, where he leads university-wide sustainability initiatives bridging academia, policy, and industry. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University B.Sc. (First Class Honours) and M.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the National University of Singapore Prof. Koh's research develops policy-relevant science to reconcile human development with environmental protection, specializing in conservation science, nature-based climate solutions, and sustainability in tropical developing regions. His work emphasizes practical decision-support tools for biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation, with particular focus on Southeast Asia's ecological challenges where rapid population growth intersects with extreme poverty and biodiversity richness. Recent publications (2020-2022) demonstrate consistent leadership in climate-biodiversity nexus research, particularly forest carbon projects, reforestation constraints, and palm oil impacts. His work frequently appears in Nature and Science journals, showing strong emphasis on spatially-explicit conservation planning and policy-relevant metrics for climate action in the tropics. Professional recognitions include being one of Asia's most highly cited conservation scientists, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, TED-Global speaker, and Founding Director of ConservationDrones.org. He also served as a Nominated Member of Singapore's 14th Parliament. Prof. Koh oversees NUS's sustainability research strategy through whole-of-university collaborations, having previously directed the Tropical Marine Science Institute and co-directed NUSDeltares. His leadership connects scientific research with real-world climate resilience solutions across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. He heads the Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, a multidisciplinary hub producing cutting-edge science for climate policies. The Centre coordinates research teams across ecology, policy, and social sciences to develop implementable nature-based solutions for regional climate challenges.

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Jeremy AustinView profile

Associate Professor

The University of AdelaideAustralia

Associate Professor Jeremy Austin is a leading evolutionary biologist at the University of Adelaide , affiliated with the School of Biological Sciences and serving as Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) . His work bridges ancient DNA analysis, molecular ecology, and forensic biology to address critical questions in conservation genetics and human identification. PhD in Evolutionary Biology from University of Tasmania (1995) Jeremy's research focuses on ancient DNA techniques to study evolutionary histories of extinct and extant vertebrates, assess environmental change impacts, and develop genomic tools for forensic identification of degraded human remains. His work supports agencies like the Australian Defence Force and humanitarian organizations. Recent publications highlight applications of LAMP assays for invasive species detection, genome-wide hybridization capture in forensic profiling, and phylogeographic analysis of endangered species. His team's innovations in trace DNA recovery and environmental DNA (eDNA) have advanced biosecurity monitoring. Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2011) As a Senior Lecturer , Jeremy supervises research students and collaborates across conservation, forensics, and evolutionary biology . He leads ACAD's efforts to integrate historical museum samples into modern genomic studies, with applications for wildlife management and human remains identification.

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Masmudur RahmanView profile

Assistant Professor

Arizona State UniversityUnited States

Masmudur Rahman is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University (ASU), affiliated with the School of Life Sciences and the Biodesign Center for Personalized Diagnostics. He leads research on molecular virology, focusing on oncolytic viruses like myxoma virus (MYXV) to treat cancers, particularly leveraging their ability to target cancer cells with compromised innate immunity. His work combines virology, genetic engineering, microscopy, and bioinformatics. Education highlights include a BSc and MSc from the University of Dhaka, a PhD in Molecular Virology from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and postdoctoral research at the University of Western Ontario and University of Florida, studying poxvirus immune modulation. He has received grants from NIH and the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission for projects on cancer virotherapy and virus-host interactions. Research interests span viral host range mechanisms, tumor tropism, and combination therapies (e.g., selinexor + MYXV). His lab develops strategies to enhance viral efficacy using stem cells and explores autosis induction in CAR-T cells. He teaches undergraduate research and honors courses in microbiology and cell biology, emphasizing hands-on training in virology techniques. Grants include NIH-funded studies on overcoming CAR-T resistance via autosis and targeting metastatic cancers with MYXV-selinexor combinations. His work has been published in Viruses , Cancer Research Communications , and International Journal of Molecular Sciences , among others.

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Jonas StålhandView profile

Professor

Linköping UniversitySweden

Jonas Stålhand is a Professor at Linköping University, affiliated with the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI) and the Division of Solid Mechanics (SOLMEK). His research focuses on biomechanics, smart textiles, haptic technologies, and cardiovascular mechanics. He leads interdisciplinary projects such as a study on pain relief using smart textile garments, combining neuroscience, materials science, and biomechanics. His work spans arterial wall mechanics, wearable haptic systems, and biomaterial characterization. Recent projects include parameter identification in arteries and the development of electroactive yarn actuators for wearable applications. Collaborations involve multidisciplinary teams across engineering, medicine, and textile science. Research interests emphasize translating biomechanical insights into clinical and industrial applications. Notable contributions include studies on aortic stress analysis, acetabular cup stability, and electroactive polymer-based actuators. His publications address both fundamental and applied aspects of soft tissue mechanics and medical engineering. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, but his work has been highlighted in university news for its innovative potential in healthcare and technology.

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Carol LaneView profile

Visiting Professor

University of SurreyUnited Kingdom

Carol Lane is a Visiting Professor at the University of Surrey, affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. She holds a PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia and additional qualifications in medicine and management from institutions like McGill University and the Institute of Directors. Education: PhD Clinical Neuroscience, University of British Columbia MSc Psychiatry, McGill University Chartered Director (ICD.D), Institute of Directors Her research focuses on translational medical research, integrating engineering and physical sciences with medical applications. Key areas include PET/MRI imaging, medical device development, and pharmaceutical R&D. She also leads initiatives like the Mapping of Health and Medical Research Assets at Surrey and co-supervises PhD research in Quantum Biology and Artificial Retinas. Carol has been recognized with the Tony Jeans Inspirational Teaching Prize and is an Honouree of Women In™ Science . Her work bridges academia and industry, with collaborations involving the NHS, NIHR, and multinational entities like King Abdulla Economic City (Saudi Arabia). Her teaching spans engineering leadership, research methods, and neuroimaging, while her grants include Leverhulme-funded projects and AI-driven traffic control studies. She also serves as a non-executive director in healthcare and R&D sectors.

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David ToshView profile

Professor

University of BathUnited Kingdom

David Tosh is a Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath. His research focuses on cellular reprogramming, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine, with applications to cancer and stem cell therapy. He leads a lab investigating cell type conversions (e.g., pancreatic to liver cells) and their implications for disease like Barrett’s metaplasia. Current lab members include Heather Bone, Christopher Brimson, Zoe Burke, and others listed in the text. He collaborates on projects such as the NextGen-O2k High-Resolution Respirometry initiative and contributes to animal-free 3D tissue modeling. Key research themes include understanding transcription factors driving cell fate decisions, translational applications of reprogramming for therapy, and links between cellular plasticity and cancer progression. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and innovation.

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Kelly BurkettView profile

Associate Professor

University of OttawaCanada

Dr. Kelly Burkett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Ottawa, within the Faculty of Science. She specializes in Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology, focusing on genealogical relationships, population substructure, and family-based study designs. Her work includes software development for genetic data analysis, such as SMLE and GENLIB. Dr. Burkett holds an MSc and PhD from Simon Fraser University. Research Interests: Dr. Burkett’s research addresses challenges in genetic epidemiology, including maternal effects, gene-environment interactions, and the impact of population substructure on study design. Her methodologies often integrate computational tools to analyze large-scale genetic datasets. She actively collaborates with biomedical researchers, inspiring new questions in statistical genetics and genomics. Publications & Software: Her recent work includes studies on orofacial clefting etiology, software for high-dimensional feature screening, and genealogical simulations in French Canadian populations. Her articles span topics from computational genetics to molecular biology, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Advising & Collaborations: Dr. Burkett has mentored over 20 students and trainees across MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral programs. Current advisees include Yuewen Pan (MSc) and Yuhao Feng (PhD). Past students hold roles in academia, healthcare, and industry. She collaborates on biomedical projects, leveraging statistical methods to address genetic and environmental interactions. Labs & Teams: While no formal lab is explicitly mentioned, her software contributions (e.g., hapassoc, sampletrees) and collaborative projects suggest involvement in computational biology and genetics research networks at the University of Ottawa and beyond.

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Mai'a K. Davis CrossView profile

Professor

Northeastern UniversityUnited States

Mai'a K. Davis Cross is the Dean’s Professor of Political Science, International Affairs, and Diplomacy at Northeastern University's College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Director of the Center for International Affairs & World Cultures. Her research focuses on transnational political networks, international cooperation, and the intersection of ultrasocial theory with global governance. PhD in Politics from Princeton University (2005) BA in Government from Harvard University Her work investigates breakthroughs in international cooperation through knowledge-based networks, with expertise in space diplomacy, public diplomacy, European Union relations, and soft power dynamics. Current research supported by Carnegie Corporation explores transnational networks shaping global order in areas like climate change, nuclear regulation, and ocean protection. Key trends in her recent publications include: Space governance and transnational networks European security frameworks Ultrasocial theory applications Climate and environmental diplomacy Intelligence-sharing mechanisms Scientific Awards: Carnegie Corporation of New York grant (2024-2026) Norwegian Research Council partner (2025-2028) Nobel Peace Institute Fellow (2016) Best Book Prize (University Association for Contemporary European Studies, 2012) American Political Science Association Pi Sigma Alpha Teaching Recognition (2012) USC Learning Environment Award (2012) USC Steven B. Sample Teaching and Mentoring Award (2011) Fulbright Fellow (2009)

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Pier PalamaraView profile

Associate Professor

University of OxfordUnited Kingdom

Pier Palamara is an Associate Professor of Statistical and Population Genetics at the University of Oxford's Department of Statistics, affiliated with the Centre for Human Genetics. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Columbia University (2014) and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. His research integrates statistics, computer science, and genetics to develop methods for analyzing large genomic datasets, focusing on evolutionary parameters, demographic history, complex trait genetics, and disease variation. Key research interests include reconstructing population movements via genetic data, studying natural selection and mutation rates in human genomes, and developing scalable algorithms for genomic analysis. He leads the Palamara Lab, which collaborates on projects like the Genomics England haplotype reference panel and the UK Biobank imputation. His lab's work is supported by grants and partnerships, and they develop software tools such as ASMC, Quickdraws, and Threads. Recent publications highlight contributions to Indo-European genetic origins, scalable mixed-model association methods, and ancient DNA analysis of European farmers. He advises graduate students and has mentored researchers in computational biology and statistical genetics.

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David WeisblatView profile

Professor

University of California, BerkeleyUnited States

David Weisblat is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley's College of Letters & Science. His research focuses on developmental and evolutionary processes in glossiphoniid leeches (e.g., Helobdella ), particularly their segmentation mechanisms and molecular phylogeny within Lophotrochozoa. He leads studies integrating embryological, genomic, and genetic approaches to understand how developmental pathways evolved across bilaterian animals. Research Interests: Weisblat’s work addresses how cell fates and signaling pathways (WNT, NOTCH, TGFβ) shape leech development, with emphasis on the evolutionary origins of segmentation. His lab combines microinjection techniques, transcriptome analysis, and CRISPR mutagenesis to explore stem cell dynamics and conserved developmental programs. Key Projects: Current efforts investigate grandparental stem cell divisions in segmentation and intercellular signaling during early embryogenesis. The lab’s genomic resources—including BAC libraries and EST databases—facilitate comparative studies across Lophotrochozoan taxa. Lab Contributions: The Weisblat lab pioneered Helobdella as a model organism, enabling breakthroughs in Evo-Devo. Their findings bridge developmental plasticity and evolutionary innovation, particularly in annelids versus arthropods/deuterostomes.

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Lu ChengView profile

Visiting Professor

Aalto UniversityFinland

Lu Cheng is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Vehtari Aki Professorship. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences from the University of Helsinki (2013). His research focuses on computational genomics, bioinformatics, and microbial genetics, with emphasis on DNA sequence analysis, nanopore sequencing technologies, and systems biology. He leads projects on alternative splicing in cancer and the impact of microbiota on human health. Notable contributions include the NanoBaseLib benchmark dataset and methods for RNA modification analysis. His work addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and innovations in data science. Education: Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences (2013), University of Helsinki; Doctoral degree in Natural Sciences (2013), University of Helsinki. Research Interests: Genomics, computational biology, microbial ecology, RNA sequencing technologies, and bioinformatics tool development. His projects explore bacterial population dynamics, host-pathogen interactions, and applications of machine learning in genomics. Advising: Supervises doctoral researchers including Guangzhao Cheng and Chengbo Fu. Active in grants such as the Academy of Finland Research Fellowship (2023-2025). Labs/Teams: Leads research groups focused on single-cell genomics and computational methods for biological systems.

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Skirmantas JanusonisView profile

Associate Professor

University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States

Skirmantas Janusonis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He is a core faculty member of the UCSB Neuroscience Research Institute and the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, and a member of the California NanoSystems Institute. His research program lies at the intersection of neuroscience, complex systems, and computational modeling. Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Massachusetts Amherst Postdoctoral Research, Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine B.S./M.S. in Biology, Vilnius University, Lithuania Dr. Janusonis's research focuses on the stochastic (random walk-like) behavior of serotonergic axons in the brain, particularly within the ascending reticular activating system and the broader serotonergic matrix. His work integrates molecular neurobiology, comparative neuroanatomy (from sharks to rodents to humans), advanced microscopy, and supercomputing simulations. He investigates how these complex systems self-organize and their relevance to mental disorders, especially autism and the enigma of platelet hyperserotonemia. His lab collaborates with physicists, mathematicians, and engineers to model anomalous diffusion and fractional Brownian motion in 3D brain spaces. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward computational and theoretical neuroscience, using high-resolution data and mathematical generalizations to model axonal distributions. Key themes include reflected fractional Brownian motion, self-organization of serotonergic densities, and the interface between central and peripheral serotonin systems. His work challenges traditional views of the blood-brain barrier and proposes interdisciplinary solutions involving immunology, physiology, and computer science. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Elected to the Board of Directors of the Organization for Computational Neurosciences (2024) NSF, NIMH, and California NanoSystems Institute grant funding Multiple student awards under his mentorship, including the Harry J. Carlisle Award and NIH IRTA NSF CRCNS and Frontera supercomputing grants UCSB Art of Science People's Choice Award (awarded to lab member) Dr. Janusonis actively mentors PhD students such as Justin Haiman and Dahyana Arroyo, and has advised alumni including Dr. Angela Chen, Dr. Kasie Mays, and Dr. Melissa Hingorani. His lab has received numerous grants from the NSF and NIH, supporting research on stochastic axon systems and super-resolution imaging. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses including Neuroanatomy (Psy 269), Neurobiology of Brain States (Psy 136), and Complex Systems (Psy 113L). Research Team and Collaborations: The Janusonis Lab is an interdisciplinary group combining neuroscience, mathematics, and engineering. It collaborates with institutions such as UC San Diego, the University of Pisa, and MIT. The lab is equipped with advanced imaging tools and has access to Frontera, a leading NSF supercomputer. Outreach includes science nights at local schools and public lectures at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

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