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Welcome to Angus Davison's lab website.
I am an Associate Professor and Reader in Evolutionary Genetics in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham. I run a research lab, teach undergraduates and supervise postgraduates. I am also the Careers Officer for the Biology group of degrees. This is my lab home page, otherwise see my University home page, LinkedIn page or @angus_davison.
In my lab, we use snails to understand evolutionary and developmental genetics. In one project, we are using snails to understand the left-right symmetry breaking event that takes place during early development, using both lab and field-based studies: just how is chirality determined at the molecular level? In another project, we are investigating the evolutionary origins of supergenes, using the charismatic snail Cepaea. Finally, as snails are one of the most speciose groups, we are using new technologies to understand how this biodiversity has come about, by investigating a model adaptive radiation of snails in subtropical Japan (Ogasawara). All of these projects are technology led: new DNA sequencing techniques are enabling us to do what was not possible only a few years ago.
"Nature is often complicated" is the opening line from Bryan Clarke's 1979 paper "The evolution of genetic diversity" (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 205, 453-474).
Super genes in the news again
We are delighted to see another supergene paper published in Nature. An added interest is that the authors used our favourite technology, RAD-Seq, to identify a Y-like social chromosome that causes alternative colony organization in fire ants. There is also an accompanying News and Views article.
New BBSRC student
Welcome to one further new recruit: Siobhan Simpson has joined us for the first part of her three part lab rotation, as part of a BBSRC funded PhD studentship. Siobhan comes to us following not one but two masters degrees:
New students 2012
Welcome to our two newest recruits, both MSci students: Nieves Guijarro is going to try to work on the spectacular love dart shooting behaviour of snails (Davison lab paper here), with a view to getting some stunning images; Clare Adams is going to be working on laterality and behaviour.
Biotechnology YES!
Two of our students, Harriet Johnson (BBSRC PhD) and Féaron Cassidy (MRes), have just returned from the annual East Midlands Biotechnology YES competition.