Prof. John Parsch is a Professor in the Faculty of Biology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). His research focuses on evolutionary and functional genomics, particularly the molecular basis of adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster . He explores gene expression variation, sex chromosome evolution, and regulatory element function. His work integrates genomic technologies like RNA-seq to study population-level adaptations and dosage compensation mechanisms. Prof. Parsch holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Maryland (1998) and a B.A. in Biology from Washington and Jefferson College (1992). He has held postdoctoral positions at Harvard University and the University of Rochester. His research is supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and other institutions. His research spans two major themes: (1) evolutionary genetics of gene expression, examining how regulatory changes drive adaptation in natural populations of Drosophila , and (2) the evolution and expression of sex chromosomes, including mechanisms like X-chromosome inactivation in male germlines. Recent projects include studying X-chromosome suppression and the functional impact of genetic polymorphisms on gene expression. Prof. Parsch teaches courses in evolutionary genomics, molecular evolution, and bioinformatics. He is an associate editor for Molecular Biology and Evolution and BMC Genomics , and has reviewed for numerous top journals. His lab is internationally recognized for advancing our understanding of how genetic variation underpins evolutionary adaptation.










