Biodiversity genomics
Our lab is based at the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland) and lead by Kay Lucek who is supported by an SNSF Eccellenza fellowship. We use genomic tools to understand how species evolve and are maintained. For this, we study several taxa, including alpine butterflies. We are especially interested to understand how chromosomal rearrangements emerge and how they might affect the speciation process also at a macroevolutionary level. We further study the factors that shape the outcome of secondary contact between closely related species. We employ genomic tools to moreover uncover a part of the cryptic species diversity in Switzerland. Our group thus works at the interface between novel and fundamental research and conservation genomics.
