Nathan Upham

Nathan Upham is an Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU), where he leads research in evolutionary biology and ecology. His academic roles include tenure-track faculty membership and senior positions in ASU's Walton Center for Planetary Health and the Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center (BioKIC). He holds a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Chicago (2014) and has held postdoctoral positions at McMaster University and Yale University, contributing to the VertLife Terrestrial project.

Research focuses on mammalian evolution, integrating field mammalogy, paleontology, phylogenomics, and bioinformatics to study speciation, extinction, and disease ecology. Key projects include constructing comprehensive mammal phylogenies, analyzing rodent biodiversity in desert ecosystems, and investigating host-virus interactions. Funded by NIH grants (R21, R35), his work emphasizes global biodiversity conservation and public engagement through initiatives like the March Mammal Madness competition.

Educational background includes a B.A. and M.A. in Biology from Occidental College (2006/2008) and advanced training at the University of Chicago. Professional roles include leadership in the American Society of Mammalogists and the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group. Upham promotes diversity in STEM through mentorship programs and outreach efforts targeting underrepresented students in biocollections and field biology.

Grants and collaborations span NIH-funded virus-mammal interaction studies, NSF projects on biodiversity data integration, and international partnerships like the Global Bat Diversity Networks. His lab actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students in phylogenetic analysis, conservation genetics, and bioinformatics.

Key contributions include the Mammal Phylogeny (MamPhy) project, which provides species-level phylogenies for ecological and conservation applications, and advocacy for open-access biodiversity data through initiatives like the ViralMuse Taskforce.