My pronouns are he/him
I want to understand how the diversity of life forms. For that, I use cichlids, small freshwater fish, as a model system. These fish are particularly interesting because they comprise an exceptionally species-rich group, making them one of the most speciose vertebrate lineages ever recorded. Understanding why and how these fish diversified into so many different shapes, colours and sizes can shed light on general patterns of how life evolves and which mechanisms facilitate rapid diversification. Here in Oxford, I will be investigating the developmental mechanisms underlying an evolutionary reduction in vertebral number, using Lake Malawi cichlids as a model system.
