Dave Des Marais

I am an evolutionary biologist, motivated by two general questions: what genetic changes underlie evolutionary adaptations and how to past evolutionary changes permit or constrain future adaptation. Most of my thesis work has been on the functional evolution of gene duplicates, focusing on a small family biosynthetic enzymes in the flower color pathway in morning glories. As a graduate student, I have also studied degenerative genetic changes following adaptation, the role of gene family diversification in the evolution of squid eye lenses, and the impact of flower color on lineage diversification. Most of this work has been undertaken with my advisor Mark Rausher, though one of the strengths of Duke's genetics program is the prospects for inter-lab collaboration. I am also an avid beer drinker and rock climber, though not jointly.

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