معرفی
Dr. Andrew Sweet is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Arkansas State University's Beck College of Sciences & Mathematics, with a research focus on evolutionary biology and genomics of host-symbiont interactions. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Illinois (2018) and joined A-State's faculty in 2021. As director of the Sweet Lab, he investigates parasitic lice evolution, mitochondrial genome fragmentation, and arthropod biodiversity using genomic, phylogenetic, and field-based approaches.
- Education: B.S. in Biology (Grove City College, 2012), Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology (University of Illinois, 2018)
- Key Research Areas
- Host-symbiont coevolution
- Mitochondrial genome evolution
- Phylogenetics and systematics
- Population genetics of parasites
His lab's research spans multiple scales from molecular evolution to global biogeography, with notable work on fragmented mitochondrial genomes in lice and coevolutionary patterns between birds and their parasites. Current projects include NSF-funded research on mitochondrial genome evolution and collaborative studies with institutions like University of Illinois and Purdue.
Scientific contributions include NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship and over 20 publications in parasitic lice evolution, genome fragmentation, and biodiversity dynamics. The lab integrates fieldwork, molecular biology, and bioinformatics to address fundamental evolutionary questions.
