Niloofar Alaei Kakhki

Dr. Niloofar Alaei Kakhki is a researcher at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, specializing in bioinformatics and data analysis within biodiversity monitoring. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology, particularly speciation and phenotypic diversification, using birds as model organisms.

• Key projects: Bunting Zone (species boundaries in birds), Convergent evolution in songbirds, and Invasive species success

Her work investigates the interplay of hybridization, gene flow, and evolutionary forces in species diversification. Publications highlight phylogenomic analyses of open-habitat birds, plumage color evolution, and biogeographic patterns.

Recent research trends include:

• Phylogenetic relationships in avian species complexes
• Genomic mechanisms of convergent evolution
• Role of climate niche modeling in speciation history
• Comparative studies of mitochondrial DNA divergence