معرفی
Joshua Rest is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, where he leads research in evolutionary genomics and computational biology. His work spans gene expression evolution, horizontal gene transfer, and viral-host genome interactions across diverse organisms including yeast, mammals, plants, protists, and viruses.
- Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan (2004)
- Postdoctoral Research, University of Chicago (2004-2008)
Rest’s lab combines computational and experimental approaches to study how genomic changes drive biological diversity, with projects on climate adaptation, protist evolution, and metabolic network dynamics. Current initiatives include CRISPR-based lateral gene transfer studies in marine protists.
His research spans 15+ years, focusing on evolutionary genomics, horizontal gene transfer, and stress response mechanisms in organisms ranging from yeast to plants. Key publications highlight metabolic network evolution, viral integration in protists, and experimental tools for marine protist studies.
- 2024 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service by a Graduate Program Director
- 2021 Zuckerkandl Prize
As Graduate Program Director (2016-2021) and current Chair, Rest mentors students and postdocs like Alex Gil Gomez and Ben Leyland. His lab collaborates globally on projects involving transcriptomics, phylogenetic analysis, and protist genetic tools.
The Rest Lab at Stony Brook investigates evolutionary genomics through a team including postdoc Ben Leyland, grad students Alex Gil Gomez and Allyson C. Sheneman, and collaborator Jackie Collier. They focus on marine protists, climate adaptation, and network-level genomic analyses.
