Marine Genomics is genome biology applied to marine organism. For us, this research is more about the genomics of how animals work, evolve and adapt then it is about marine biology. That is, we are more interested applying our research to understanding general principals and their implication for human health and disease. Professors Douglas Crawford and Marjorie Oleksiak’s work (DLC's & MFO's) is featured in Nature, Nature Genetics, Proceeding of the Natural Academy of Science, Science, American Journal of Physiology, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Experimental Biology, BMC Genomics, Aquatic Toxicology, Molecular Ecology, and Molecular Biology & Evolution. Drs. Crawford and Oleksiak’s functional genomics research (Link to research) focus on evolve differences within and among populations using microarrays, population genetics and evolutionary analyses to better understand who animals work. Specifically, they share a common interest in adaptive difference in gene expression and the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for these differences. Dr. Crawford’s research focuses on patterns of gene expression that affect metabolisms and cardiac physiology and utilize evolutionary analyses as an assay of biological importance. Dr. Oleksiak’s research focuses on gene expression & molecular mechanisms responsible for the adaptation to pollution and other toxicological stressors. Our research projects focus on the evolution of natural variation to better understand how variation can affect human health.
Much of the research (Research) in our laboratory focuses on Fundulus heteroclitus, a small species of killifish found in estuarine and brackish waters between northeastern Florida and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Different populations and species of these fish have demonstrated an ability to adapt to extreme environmental conditions, including temperature changes, increased salinity, hypoxia and environmental pollutions. By studying how the expression of genes affects the health, longevity and physiological performance, we learn how genes are important for human health.