معرفی
Dr. Alan Bergland is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Virginia. He leads the Bergland Lab, which investigates the genetic basis of rapid and cyclic adaptation in natural populations using model organisms Drosophila and Daphnia. His research integrates population genomics, computational biology, and quantitative genetics to study how environmental variability maintains genetic diversity.
- Director of Graduate Studies in Biology
- Lab: 063A Gilmer Hall
- Email: alan.bergland@virginia.edu
Research interests focus on:
- Seasonal adaptation in temperate environments
- Genetic mechanisms of dormancy and predation response
- Role of chromosomal inversions in evolutionary dynamics
- Population structure and fitness trade-offs
- Computational approaches to genomic analysis
The lab's publication record demonstrates expertise across:
- Genetic signatures of climate-driven adaptation
- Phenotypic plasticity in stress response
- Population genomic resources (DEST dataset with >32,000 fly genomes)
- Trans-specific polymorphisms in Daphnia
Dr. Bergland received a NSF CAREER award (2022) for his Backyard Evolution project. His team has secured multiple competitive fellowships for trainees, including:
- NSF EXPAND fellowship (Connor Murray)
- NIH NRSA fellowship (Karen Barnard-Kubow)
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship (Dörthe Becker)
As director of graduate studies, he oversees PhD training in biology and collaborates with labs across UVA including the Siegrist Lab. The lab maintains active citizen science initiatives through the Backyard Evolution project and coordinates outreach at area farmer's markets.
