Arkhat Abzhanov

Arkhat Abzhanov holds the position of Reader in Evolution and Developmental Genetics at Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park) and is affiliated with the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He concurrently serves as a Researcher at the Natural History Museum, London, and held an Adjunct Associate Professor role at the University of Hong Kong (2020–2021). His primary research focuses on vertebrate craniofacial development, evolutionary mechanisms, and genetic conditions in humans, using a combination of molecular, genetic, and morphometric approaches.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Biology, Indiana University Bloomington (1995)
• Ph.D., Indiana University Bloomington (2000)
• Diploma, Kazakh National University (1994)

Research Interests: Dr. Abzhanov's work integrates laboratory models (e.g., chicken embryos, mouse mutants) with non-model species (e.g., Darwin's Finches, Anolis lizards, alligators) to study cranial skeletal development and evolutionary transitions. His tripartite approach includes morphological quantification, genetic candidate identification, and functional assays to explore modularity and adaptive variation. Key areas include skull/face morphogenesis, developmental genetics in amniotes, and evolutionary scalability.

Affiliations & Roles:

• Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet
• Silwood Park Campus
• Postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School (2000–2004) under Cliff Tabin

Languages: Fluent in Russian (peer review), English (peer review), and Spanish (spoken).