Bradley J.S.C. Olson

Dr. Bradley Olson is an Associate Professor in the Division of Biology at the College of Arts and Sciences, Kansas State University. His research bridges molecular biology and evolutionary ecology to investigate the origins of multicellularity using volvocine green algae as a model system.

• Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University (2008)

Research focuses on unraveling how unicellular organisms evolved cooperative multicellular states through genomic and systems biology approaches. He leads a consortium sequencing volvocales genomes and identifies gene networks regulating colonialism, cell division, and differentiation.

Recent publications highlight his work on gene loss during multicellular transitions, cell size control mechanisms, and evolutionary innovations in volvocine algae. These studies span molecular evolution, developmental genetics, and comparative genomics.

His lab website https://multicellular.org/ details ongoing projects exploring connections between multicellular regulation and human cancer pathways.