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Understanding how organisms are built and evolve on a dynamic planet

Understanding how organisms are built and evolve on a dynamic planet

Understanding how organisms are built and evolve on a dynamic planet

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Understanding how organisms are built and evolve on a dynamic planet

Development and Evolution in Insects

How are "complex" traits built? How are these rules encoded in genomes? How does this encoding influence how traits evolve on a dynamic planet? We think about these questions through the lens of the development and evolution of phenotypically plastic traits in insects. Our current focus is on describing the development of migration in the monarch butterfly and on understanding how this developmental-genetic 'design' influences evolution of the migration strategy. We integrate development, genomics, behavior, physiology and engineering in both laboratory and natural settings to address these problems.

Tracking Migrating Monarchs

Monarchs navigate to their overwintering sites with striking precision each year. How and why “eastern” monarchs choose specific peaks within the oyamel fir forests of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt are still largely unknown. These choices...
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Eco-Genomics

Monarchs make their annual migration as a result of integrating environmental cues with genetically-encoded programs. We leverage next-generation sequencing and novel molecular tools in naturalistic field settings and controlled environmental chambers to elucidate these cues...
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Multisensory Integration

The details of how monarchs navigate over 2,500 km to specific overwintering sites are under intense investigation. Decades of research has revealed key features of their biology that enable them to do this (e.g., an...
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Evolution of Migration

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are renowned for their North American migration. They are one of only two insect species known to make long-distance, bidirectional migrations (the other is the Bogong moth Agrotis infusa). Nevertheless, other...
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Team


PI

Delbert André Green II, PhD (he/him)

Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

I’m interested in how novel complex traits arise and evolve. Butterflies have been a remarkable and versatile system for studying this fundamental problem. We are developing monarch butterfly migration as a focal trait to extend our understanding of how traits evolve on a dynamic planet.

Photo Credit: Daryl Marshke (University of Michigan)


Postdocs, Graduate Students, Research Technicians

Darene Assadia (she/her)

PhD Student (2023-)

M.A. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UM-Ann Arbor

B.Sci. Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati

What are monarchs’ superpowers?

Darene integrates behavior, imaging, and transcriptomics to understand how migration shapes monarchs’ sensory and cognitive abilities (and vice versa).

G Harrison (she/her; they/them)

PhD Student (2023-)

M.S. Entomology, Virgina Tech

B.S. Biology, B.A. Philosophy, Georgia College

How did monarchs become special?

G takes a comparative genomics approach to understand the evolution of migration and migratory traits across the genus Danaus.

Sam Stratton (he/him)

PhD Student (2021-)

M.A. Biology, University of Cincinnati

B.S. Biology, B.A. Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Indiana University

How do migratory monarchs become migratory?

Sam uses transcriptomics to study how genetics and environmental cues are integrated to make migratory monarchs migratory.

Drew Tucker (he/him)

MA Student (2025-)

B.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee-Knoxville

What are monarchs’ superpowers?

Drew studies how behavioral variation contributes to monarchs’ ability to successfully complete their continental-scale migration.

Interested in joining the lab as a postdoc or graduate student? Please email me (dgreenii [at] umich [dot] edu) with a description of your interests and your CV/resume. The lab is a part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Michigan. There will soon be opportunities for graduate students to join the lab through other UM training programs as well.


Undergrads

Elizabeth Schaldenbrand (she/her)

UM ’27

Jude Hopkins (he/him)

UM ’26

Tongyuan (David) Miao (he/him)

UM ’27

Are you an undergraduate (or high school student) who is interested in working in the lab? There are occasionally positions available to join our team as an undergraduate research assistant (through UROP, independent study, or other alternatives). Please email me (dgreenii [at] umich [dot] edu) 1) a thoughtful description of why you are interested in the lab and 2) your CV/resume (including contact information for at least one personal reference), if you have one.


Alumni

Grant Lobert