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Welcome to the Kelley Lab website!

The Kelley Lab is located at Washington State University, in Pullman, WA. Our research focuses on evolutionary genomics and adaptation to extreme environments. We are interested in understanding how populations diverge and adapt to the environments they encounter. To identify and characterize specific genes and pathways that underlie adaptive change, we combine statistical and genomic approaches with knowledge from organismal and ecological studies. We leverage natural systems to gain insight into basic biological processes, which has profound implications for our understanding of human health and disease.

Our work utilizes a range of technological and analytical methods for genomics. We also climb Mexican volcanoes and explore Caribbean Islands for exotic species that are specially adapted to their extreme environments. By correlating genetic changes to phenotypic outcomes using population genomics, we hope to link genomic changes to sources of selection.

Current topics in the laboratory include:

• Population genomics of fish living in sulfidic environments in Mexico
• Transcriptional changes in response to seasonal changes in brown bears
• Comparative genomics of polar fishes

 

Lab mission: 

To address complex biological questions in an inclusive and supportive environment that cultivates curious, productive, and collaborative scientists

 

A view of the Palouse from Kamiak Butte, which is 20 miles north of campus.