Our research investigates the evolutionary biology and genomics of plants, with particular emphasis on heterotrophic (i.e., parasitic and mycoheterotrophic) lineages. We employ herbariomics, comparative genomics and phylogenomic approaches to understand the genomic foundation for plant diversity and the influence of lifestyle changes.
Key research areas include:
Plastid genome evolution in parasitic plants: We examine structural rearrangements, gene loss, and functional transitions in plastid genomes across a wide diversity of species, revealing patterns of convergent evolution and lineage-specific variability.
Mitochondrial genome architecture: Our work on mitochondrial genomes uncovers complex evolutionary dynamics, including chromosomal structure variation, gene transfer, RNA editing patterns, and allows for a deeper understanding of plant mitochondrial genomics.
Phylogenomics and systematics: Using data from all three plant genomes (plastid, mitochondrial, and nuclear), we aim to solve long-standing taxonomic questions and reconstruct evolutionary relationships within challenging plant groups, contributing to a more complete understanding of plant diversity.
