Visit to EXEB by Masahito Tsuboi and talk about phenomics and the integration of micro- and macroevolution

Posted by Erik Svensson

For next week's EXEB-meeting (Tuesday August 23 at 10.00 in "Argumentet"), I am happy to welcome an outside visitor: Dr. Masahito Tsuboi from the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) and the "Macroevolution Group". Masahito is currently a postdoc in Thomas F. Hansen's lab at Oslo University.

Masahito is visiting my lab next week to discuss some future research collaboration, and will give a talk about his research entitled:


Bridging the gap between micro- and macro-evolution: a challenge of quantitative phenomics

Below is the Abstract of the talk and some information about Masahito's research background:

Abstract: One of the most enduring challenges in evolutionary biology is to understand how evolutionary processes observed at population levels scale up to the diversity observed at species or higher taxonomic levels. Over the past decades, theoretical maturation of quantitative genetics, development of phylogenetic comparative methods and accumulation of high quality phenotypic data have collectively start offering solutions to fundamental issues in linking micro- and macro-evolution. Applying quantitative genetic theories for macroevolutionary phenotypic data, my research tries to assess if and how tempo and mode of macroevolution could be understood by microevolutionary patterns. In my seminar, I will first briefly outline my idea and present some preliminary results. A stronger focus then would be placed on discussing the approach and further scopes.

About me: I obtained PhD degree last year from Uppsala University, Sweden, working with Prof. Niclas Kolm on brain size evolution in cichlids, pipefishes and seahorses primarily from above-species, macroevolutionary, perspectives. Currently, I am a Postdoctoral fellow funded by Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) based in University of Oslo, Norway, working with Prof. Thomas Hansen on the link between micro- and macro-evolution using dataset of vertebrate brain size, deer antler size, and fly wing morphology. 

"Fika" will be available. Everybody should be most welcome!