Bill Cresko

Bill Cresko is a Professor at the University of Oregon, affiliated with the Knight Campus and the School of Computer and Data Sciences. His research integrates evolutionary biology, genomics, and data science to study the genetic basis of adaptation and speciation, with a focus on threespine stickleback and nematode models.

Research Interests: His work spans evolutionary genetics, developmental genetics, gene duplication, phenotypic plasticity, and population genomics. He employs cutting-edge genomic techniques such as RAD-seq and the Stacks software pipeline to analyze genetic variation and evolutionary processes.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in understanding how environmental stressors (e.g., perchlorate, heat) influence developmental trajectories, gene expression, and transgenerational effects. His lab also investigates modular evolution in biomechanical systems and the impact of polyploidy on inheritance patterns in fish. Computational biology and public data mining are key components of his methodological approach.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• Lorry Lokey Endowed Chair at the University of Oregon
• Mentored students receiving NSF DDIG, Hui Fellowship, and Knight Campus Scholarships

Advising and Grants: Bill Cresko actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, including Kristin Sikkink, Taylor Wilson, and Kate Ituarte. His lab supports scholars through prestigious fellowships and grants, demonstrating strong training and funding success. He also serves as a thesis opponent internationally, reflecting his academic leadership.

Labs and Teams: The Cresko Laboratory at the University of Oregon is an active research group combining wet-lab genomics with computational analysis, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in evolutionary genomics.