Volvocales – Losing genes, gaining complexity

Our paper on gene loss during the transition to multicellularity is available on BioRxiv. Here we show that as the volvocines gain biological and developmental complexity that they are losing more genes than they gain. Importantly, the result of this appear to be that their protein interaction networks are altered to do this. This was a large multi year effort led by PhD student Bereníce Jimenez-Marín and included several undergraduate researchers and collaboration with Tom Platt’s lab. It is currently under revision after peer review.

Olson Lab research featured at Nature Ecology and Evolution

Research in the Olson Lab was featured by Nature Research Ecology & Evolution. Brad’s seminar at Volvox 2019 discussed recent genomic advances in the volvocine algae. Berenice’s was given an award for her seminar on the genes important for the transition to undifferentiated multicellularity.

Berenice presents her research at Volvox 2019 in Tokyo, Japan

Berenice Jimenez, a PhD student in the Olson Lab, presented her research on the evolution of cell adhesion at Volvox 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. Berenice earned travel awards from the KSU Graduate Student Council, the Kato Memorial Bioscience Foundation and the University of Tokyo Foundation. Congrats to Berenice on international recognition of her work!

2019-07-28 Berenice presents at Volvox 2019 Tokyo Japan.jpg

Congrats to Kendall Olde

Kendal Olde, a summer undergraduate intern with the SUROP and KINBRE programs earned 2nd place for her seminar at KINBRE 2019. Congrats on a successful seminar! Kendall visited the Olson Lab from Langston University during the summer of 2018 and helped post-doc Jessica Rakijas with her research. Job well done Kendall!