Michael M. Desai

Michael M. Desai is currently a Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and of Physics at Harvard University. He has been affiliated with Harvard since at least 2006, where he leads the Desai Lab in exploring the dynamics of natural selection and genetic variation.

Research Focus: His work centers on the structure of genetic variation in asexual populations (e.g., microbes and viruses), combining theoretical population genetics with high-throughput experimental evolution in budding yeast. Key areas include evolutionary dynamics, phenotypic changes, and correlations with genetic variation across populations.

Email:

• desai@physics.harvard.edu

Lab: Located at 457 Northwest Bldg., Cambridge, MA 02138, the Desai Lab employs techniques to evolve thousands of yeast lines simultaneously, tracking fitness and genetic changes.