Welcome to the Torres-Dowdall lab at Notre Dame
Our research group investigates the causes and consequences of adaptive evolution. We study patterns of phenotypic variation along ecological gradients to understand how genetic and developmental variation interact with the environment to generate diversity. We use a combination of field, laboratory, and statistical approaches to identify the genetic, molecular, and environmental drivers of variation in traits such as morphology, visual sensitivity, and life history.
Our research group investigates the causes and consequences of adaptive evolution. We study patterns of phenotypic variation along ecological gradients to understand how genetic and developmental variation interact with the environment to generate diversity. We use a combination of field, laboratory, and statistical approaches to identify the genetic, molecular, and environmental drivers of variation in traits such as morphology, visual sensitivity, and life history.
Lab News
Summer 2025
A Summer to Remember!
This summer was a whirlwind of accomplishments for our lab. We're celebrating new publications, exciting fieldwork, and a new face in the lab.
Celebrating Our Grads
A huge congratulations to Dr. César Bertinetti! After three busy and productive years, César graduated with an incredible six papers published during his time at Notre Dame. Two of those papers came out this summer alone, one in Molecular Biology and Evolution and another in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The latter was even highlighted by the journal, and they interviewed César about his work. And he got the cover! He's now starting a new adventure as postdoc at the Baier Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence. We're so proud of him and already miss him!
In the Spotlight: Lab Member Achievements
Rachel kicked off her publishing career in the lab with an awesome paper published in Molecular Ecology on the diversification of fish in the genus Jenynsia. She also published a great paper on mouse gigantism from her master's work.
Matt published a new paper in Hydrobiologia about how artificial wood structures impact invertebrate communities in lakes.
Hanna and Rachel went on an epic cross-country road trip to the West Coast to sample Gambusia! They're investigating whether the fish's traits in its new habitats match those in its native range, and they're already finding some fascinating patterns.
Matt spent his summer at UNDERC, where he managed to sample more than 3,000 bluegill and bass from four different lakes. Now that's a lot of fish!
Julián represented the lab at the Latin American Evolution meeting, where he gave a talk in Argentina.
A Warm Welcome
Please join us in welcoming Harold Gridley to the lab. He's joining the team to work on the evolution of the visual system. Welcome, Harold!
A Summer to Remember!
This summer was a whirlwind of accomplishments for our lab. We're celebrating new publications, exciting fieldwork, and a new face in the lab.
Celebrating Our Grads
A huge congratulations to Dr. César Bertinetti! After three busy and productive years, César graduated with an incredible six papers published during his time at Notre Dame. Two of those papers came out this summer alone, one in Molecular Biology and Evolution and another in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The latter was even highlighted by the journal, and they interviewed César about his work. And he got the cover! He's now starting a new adventure as postdoc at the Baier Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence. We're so proud of him and already miss him!
In the Spotlight: Lab Member Achievements
Rachel kicked off her publishing career in the lab with an awesome paper published in Molecular Ecology on the diversification of fish in the genus Jenynsia. She also published a great paper on mouse gigantism from her master's work.
Matt published a new paper in Hydrobiologia about how artificial wood structures impact invertebrate communities in lakes.
Hanna and Rachel went on an epic cross-country road trip to the West Coast to sample Gambusia! They're investigating whether the fish's traits in its new habitats match those in its native range, and they're already finding some fascinating patterns.
Matt spent his summer at UNDERC, where he managed to sample more than 3,000 bluegill and bass from four different lakes. Now that's a lot of fish!
Julián represented the lab at the Latin American Evolution meeting, where he gave a talk in Argentina.
A Warm Welcome
Please join us in welcoming Harold Gridley to the lab. He's joining the team to work on the evolution of the visual system. Welcome, Harold!
April 2025
🎉 Congratulations to Xiyuan on successfully defending her MSc thesis, “Ecological Influences on the Frequency of Alternative Reproductive Tactics in Bluegill Sunfish Across 25 Lakes”!
She’s headed to Purdue University to begin her PhD. Wishing her all the best in this exciting next chapter! 👏🐟🎓
🎉 Congratulations to Xiyuan on successfully defending her MSc thesis, “Ecological Influences on the Frequency of Alternative Reproductive Tactics in Bluegill Sunfish Across 25 Lakes”!
She’s headed to Purdue University to begin her PhD. Wishing her all the best in this exciting next chapter! 👏🐟🎓
April 2025
Huge congratulations to Hanna for receiving both the Outstanding Graduate Student Leader of the Year award and the 2025 Kaneb Center Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award! 🎉👏 These honors recognize not only her leadership but also her exceptional commitment to teaching and mentoring. Incredible work, Hanna!
Huge congratulations to Hanna for receiving both the Outstanding Graduate Student Leader of the Year award and the 2025 Kaneb Center Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award! 🎉👏 These honors recognize not only her leadership but also her exceptional commitment to teaching and mentoring. Incredible work, Hanna!
April 2025
Congratulations to César for being named Graduate Student Researcher of the Year! This well-deserved recognition reflects a truly outstanding and productive third year as a PhD student at Notre Dame. Great work, César!
Congratulations to César for being named Graduate Student Researcher of the Year! This well-deserved recognition reflects a truly outstanding and productive third year as a PhD student at Notre Dame. Great work, César!
March 2025
Congratulations to César on his paper in Molecular Ecology! In this study, we explored phenotypic diversity in the visual system of centrarchid fish across different photic environments. Surprisingly, we found that phenotypic variation is very limited.
Congratulations to César on his paper in Molecular Ecology! In this study, we explored phenotypic diversity in the visual system of centrarchid fish across different photic environments. Surprisingly, we found that phenotypic variation is very limited.
March 2025
Congratulations to undergraduate Mike Yun for receiving a Student-Initiated Research Grant from the College of Science! He was awarded $4,000 to support his ongoing experiment on circadian rhythms of opsin gene expression, in collaboration with Emily Houston and César. Way to go, Mike!
Congratulations to undergraduate Mike Yun for receiving a Student-Initiated Research Grant from the College of Science! He was awarded $4,000 to support his ongoing experiment on circadian rhythms of opsin gene expression, in collaboration with Emily Houston and César. Way to go, Mike!
January 2025
New paper on the distribution of Poecilia reticulata lead by Alex Mauro is out in Ecology!
New paper on the distribution of Poecilia reticulata lead by Alex Mauro is out in Ecology!
December 2024
Congratulations to César, Hanna, and Xiyuan! They passed their Oral Candidacy Examination this month.
Congratulations to César, Hanna, and Xiyuan! They passed their Oral Candidacy Examination this month.
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July 2024
Congratulations to César on his new paper! In this study, César investigates the phenotypic variation in cyp27c1, an enzyme implicated in the shift from A1 to A2 chromophore usage in visual pigments. His research focuses on Midas cichlids, examining these contributions along a gradient of ambient light conditions. |
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January 2024
Congratulations to César, whose paper was just published online in AmNat! In this paper, César looks at the environmental and genetic contributions to phenotypic variation in the visual system of Midas cichlids along a gradient of ambient light conditions.
Congratulations to César, whose paper was just published online in AmNat! In this paper, César looks at the environmental and genetic contributions to phenotypic variation in the visual system of Midas cichlids along a gradient of ambient light conditions.
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October 2023
Congratulations to Hanna on the publication of her first first-author paper! In this paper, she examined the seasonal variation in reproductive effort of a livebearing fish species living in irregularly flooded subtropical mountain stream habitats. |
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October 2023
Xiyuan has published a series of educational books on the natural group. Congratulations to her and her co-workers!
Xiyuan has published a series of educational books on the natural group. Congratulations to her and her co-workers!
October 2023
Julián presented some of our research at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It was a great visit to a fantastic department. Also it was great to discuss collaborations with Becky Fuller and to get reunited with the amazing Eva Fisher!
Julián presented some of our research at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It was a great visit to a fantastic department. Also it was great to discuss collaborations with Becky Fuller and to get reunited with the amazing Eva Fisher!
November 2022
César is starting his light environment manipulations
By adding organic humic acid to large ponds, César is aiming to determine the genetic and environmental components of phenotypic variation in the visual system of sunfishes. His experiment will allow us to determine if phenotypic variation across populations is associated with performance in different photic environments. His experiment is conducted in the experimental ponds at ND-LEEF, one of the fantastic facilities at Notre Dame.
César is starting his light environment manipulations
By adding organic humic acid to large ponds, César is aiming to determine the genetic and environmental components of phenotypic variation in the visual system of sunfishes. His experiment will allow us to determine if phenotypic variation across populations is associated with performance in different photic environments. His experiment is conducted in the experimental ponds at ND-LEEF, one of the fantastic facilities at Notre Dame.
October 2022
Thank you Ron Bassar for the visit and the great seminar!
Ron visited University of Notre Dame and gave a seminar at the Department of Biological Sciences. He talked about their ongoing Guppy project, where Ron and collaborators introduced high predation guppies into upstream, low predation sites. They have monitored them for over 10 years to understand how life histories evolve. Their research have strongly contributed to the understanding how eco-evolutionary feedbacks influence the evolution.
Thank you Ron Bassar for the visit and the great seminar!
Ron visited University of Notre Dame and gave a seminar at the Department of Biological Sciences. He talked about their ongoing Guppy project, where Ron and collaborators introduced high predation guppies into upstream, low predation sites. They have monitored them for over 10 years to understand how life histories evolve. Their research have strongly contributed to the understanding how eco-evolutionary feedbacks influence the evolution.
October 2022
- The lab visited Sarah Fitzpatrick at the Kellogg Biological Station.
- The whole lab went to Michigan to listen to a seminar by Sarah Fitzpatrick on genetic rescue on small, endangered populations. Sarah's talk was fantastic and the Kellogg Biological Station is such a great place to visit. Researchers at KBS made and are making a lot of key contributions in ecology and evolution.
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September 2022
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- We are here! We all arrived to Notre Dame and we had our first lab meeting ever!
- Proud to announce that César will be starting his first field season in May, supported by an UNDERC Graduate Fellowship!
- Congratulations to César who was granted a Merrilee Clark Redmond Endowment for Excellence - Graduate Research Initiation Grant!
- We are excited to announce that Hanna Jewell is joining the lab in August 2022! Hanna comes from Boston College where she worked on determining the mechanisms and function of nuclear positioning of the cell on the blood-brain barrier. Welcome!
- We are glad to announce that Xiyuan Guan has decided to join the lab starting on August 2022! Xiyuan has completed her bachelor in Biological Sciences at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences where she worked in the evolution of mating behavior in birds.
- We are happy to announce that César Bertinetti Cerrato is joining the lab in August 2022! César completed his Master at Konstanz University, Germany, working on the links between environment, phenotype and fitness.
Join the lab!
We are looking for motivated undergraduate students to join the lab. Our research provides opportunities to get involved in molecular and organismal level work in evolutionary ecology and possibilities to conduct lab and/or field research. We are also currently recruiting PhD students and Postdocs. If you are interested in our research, please contact Dr. Torres-Dowdall for further information.
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