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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).
New lab members
A warm and sunny September welcome to new lab members, Harriet (PhD student), FĂ©aron (MRes), Ben, Hannah and Emily (all MSci)
Supergenes in the news
New Heliconius supergene paper published in Nature by Joron and colleagues. We were delighted to see that supergenes, most famously found in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis, are fashionable again!
Biology Careers Conference
The Biology Careers Conference took place on 27th June.
Poster success
Postgraduate symposium: Best Poster Prize goes to BBSRC student Paul Richards.