Reno Eckebrecht

1-224-730-768
rveckebr@syr.edu

I’m interested in evolutionary biology and population genetics.

Education:

M.Sc. – Syracuse University, 2015 – present

B.S. – Biology, Syracuse University, 2015

Research Interests:

Chromosomal rearrangements have been linked to ecological adaptation and speciation. Theory shows that new chromosomal inversions could be selected for and become established, if they capture alleles at multiple loci that are involved in local adaptation to divergent environments. My research is focused on a large polymorphic inversion that segregates in annual and perennial ecotypes of Mimulus guttatus. Previous research has shown that the inverted region is the most divergent region between the ecotype genomes, and is a major QTL for flowering time that accounts for local adaptation in the field. My goal is to map the breakpoints of the inversion and determine the ancestral orientation. Mapping the breakpoints is key to determining if the rearrangement itself directly impacted gene function, and to identify genes within the inversion that contribute to adaptive phenotypes.