Research in the Olsen Lab focuses on the genetic basis of evolution in plants: how is the genetic variation that we find within a species shaped by natural selection, population history, and other evolutionary forces? One way that we approach this question is by using crop domestication as a model for rapid evolutionary change. The wealth of genetic and genomic information available for crops makes them useful for studying the molecular evolution of genes in response to selection and other forces. We also study the evolutionary genomics of wild plant species. Topics of interest include the genetic basis of adaptive variation, the forces affecting genome-wide patterns of linkage disequilibrium, genomic signatures of selection, and polyploid genome evolution.
Principal InvestigatorKEN OLSENGeorge William and Irene Koechig Professor of Biology
Associate Chair Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis Research Associate, Missouri Botanical Garden Contact Information Biology Department Campus Box 1137 Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 [email protected] (314) 935-7013 Research
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