Research

Our research

Dr. Tanya Renner and members of her laboratory explore evolutionary patterns and processes that drive functional diversification. We are particularly interested in how multi-species interactions shape diversity on a genome-wide scale and influence form and function. We use plants and insects as models to study adaptation and current projects examine the underlying genetics and evolution of chemical and structural defense. Our research combines experimental biology with 'omics methods, biochemistry, phylogenetics, and morphology.

We seek to understand how plants and insects acquire novel phenotypes through co-option of existing genes, tissues, and organs. Specifically, we investigate the role, regulation, and diversity of chemical defense genes, and examine the evolution of multi-step enzyme-catalyzed pathways that form defensive compounds in specialized tissues and organs. This research has broad implications for understanding how plants repurpose defense genes for nutrient acquisition and which genes are key players in the formation of compounds important for insect defense.

Our research projects include:

Phylogenomics and trait evolution among carnivorous plants.
Genetic and molecular underpinnings of plant carnivory across distantly-related lineages.
Plant molecular responses as they relate to galling by insects.
Evolution of biosynthesis pathways that produce defensive chemicals.