Scholar Profile

Antonis Rokas

Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
VU Station B 35-1634
Nashville, TN 37235
Voice: 615-936-3892
Email: Antonis.rokas@vanderbilt.edu
2008 Searle Scholar

Research Interests

Genome Structure and the Origin and Evolution of Multicellular Organisms

The most exciting scientific questions are those at the crossroads of different disciplines. Genomics has revolutionized the study of biology and has reinforced the significance of Dobzhansky's famous quip, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." Research in the Rokas lab is centered on the evolutionary genomics of fungi and animals. This research combines computational and experimental approaches to investigate:

(i) the factors influencing phylogenetic accuracy and their usefulness in obtaining more robust phylogenies,
(ii) the molecular origins of multicellularity in fungi and animals, and
(iii) the origin and evolution of key genetic pathways in fungi and their association with changes in genome structure.