ProfessorEmma Teeling

Research Interests: For the past 15 years I have investigated the evolutionary relationships among mammals both at the nucleotide and genomic level. Mammals are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrates, with large differences in body size, life span, ecological adaptation, metabolic rate, behavior, reproduction and locomotion. I examine this variation using comparative genomics to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying morphological and physiological adaptation and to help annotate and explain our own genome. Furthermore, I use evolutionary analyses of whole genomes and targeted genes sequenced in divergent species to understand of the patterns of human disease mutations in many inherited visual and auditory diseases. Finally, I investigate how species and populations transform in response to recent environmental changes and use genetic data to inform conservation management plans. Current research projects running in my laboratory include: (1) Evolution of exceptional longevity in mammals. (2) Evolution of sensory perception in mammals and the implications for visual and auditory diseases. (3) Untangling the drivers of sensory speciation. (4) The mammal tree of life. (5) Phylogenetic history, population structure and conservation status of Irish bats.