Michael Lynch

Michael Lynch is a Professor in the School of Life Sciences and Director of the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution at Arizona State University. He holds additional roles as a Regents Professor and has served as President of several prominent scientific societies, including the Genetics Society of America and the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. His research focuses on mechanisms of evolution at multiple biological levels, emphasizing mutation, genetic drift, and recombination. Lynch's work integrates theoretical models with empirical studies using organisms like Daphnia, Paramecium, and microbial species. He has authored influential books, including 'The Origins of Genome Architecture,' and co-authored a two-volume treatise on quantitative genetics with Bruce Walsh.

Education: PhD in Ecology from the University of Minnesota (1998) and BS in Biology from St. Bonaventure University.

Research Interests: Evolutionary cell biology, genomic architecture, mutation rate dynamics, and the evolutionary consequences of population size. His lab conducts large-scale genomic projects, such as sequencing Daphnia populations to study genetic diversity and the 5000 Daphnia pulex genome project. Recent work includes analyzing mutation spectra across species and developing computational tools for population-genomic analysis.

Awards: Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His contributions to evolutionary theory and genomics have been widely recognized.

Labs/Teams: Lynch Lab, focused on evolutionary mechanisms using genomic and experimental approaches. Collaborations include studies on Paramecium genome biology and bacterial mutation dynamics. Research websites: Lynch Lab and Google Scholar.