Ana L. Caicedo

Ana L. Caicedo is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she leads research in plant molecular evolution and evolutionary genomics. Her work focuses on adaptive processes in agricultural environments using crop-wild relative systems like rice and tomato.

Education:

• B.Sc., Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia, 1996
• Ph.D., Washington University, St. Louis, 2003
• Postdoctoral: North Carolina State University, 2003-2006

Professor Caicedo's research integrates population genetics, molecular evolution, and evolutionary ecology to investigate the genetic basis of adaptation. She examines how genomic context influences trait evolution in plants, particularly during domestication and weed emergence. Her lab employs genomic tools to study loci underlying ecologically significant traits in model organisms (Arabidopsis), crop relatives (Solanum, Oryza), and domesticated species, addressing fundamental questions about selection signatures and adaptive variation distribution.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (1999-2011) reveals consistent focus on molecular evolution of adaptive traits in agricultural plants, with predominant themes in rice domestication genomics, weed evolution mechanisms, and disease resistance gene dynamics. Key methodologies include population genomic scans, locus-specific evolution studies, and comparative analyses of crop-wild complexes.

Scientific Awards:

• Root & Shoot Research Coordination Network award (2024)

Professor Caicedo mentors a diverse cohort of graduate students (including current PhD candidates Tori Ford, Maryam Rashidzade, and Rachel) and undergraduate researchers. Her trainees have secured competitive fellowships including multiple Lotta Crabtree Fellowships (awarded to Jake and Xiang in 2020-2022), Bigelow Fellowships, and Gilgut Fellowships. Lab funding supports projects on Vavilovian mimicry, floral fragrance evolution, and tomato stress tolerance genetics through internal university grants and research coordination networks.

The Caicedo Lab maintains an active research program with ongoing projects on rice-weed coevolution, tomato domestication genetics, and plant-microbiome interactions. Recent lab activities include participation in the National Diversity in STEM conference (where undergraduate Brian won a poster award), hosting international collaborators like Dr. Alejandro Presotto (Argentina), and developing mentorship initiatives through the Root & Shoot Network.