OEB 2016-2017 Newsletter

Congratulations OEB Graduates!

Pierre Baduel Leonora Bittleston John Boyle Glenna Clifton James Crall Kara Feilich

Ambika Kamath Leandra King Joel Nitta Daniel Rice Allison Shultz Jingyi Yu

NEWS AND NOTES

Faculty News • E.O.Wilson, Professor Emeritus, • L. Mahadevan was elected Fellow of received the Humane Medal from the the Royal Society, April 2016 Notable Awards Humane Society of New York, Decem- • Gonzalo Giribet received the Guggen- • Hopi Hoekstra was elected to the ber 2016 heim Fellow Award, April 2016 American Academy of Arts and Sci- • Elena Kramer and Martin Nowak • Mansi Srivastava was named Searle ences, April 2017 were awarded the Fannie Cox Prize Scholar, April 2016 • E.O. Wilson, Professor Emeritus, was for Excellence in Science Teaching, • Bence Ölveczky received the Promis- awarded the 2017 Reed Environmental December 2016 ing Scientific Research Award from the Writing Award for his book, “Half- • Naomi Pierce was awarded the Har- Star Family Challenge, April 2016 Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life!” vard Global Institute (HGI) grant, • Richard Lewontin, Professor Emeri- October 2016 Research Highlights tus, received the Thomas Hunt Morgan • Hopi Hoekstra was elected to the Medal, March 2017 Board of Directors of the Genetics So- An international team of scientists led by • Pardis Sabeti was awarded the Richard ciety of America, September 2016 Mary Caswell Stoddard (former postdoc, Lounsbery Prize from the National • Hopi Hoekstra was elected to the Na- Edwards Lab) and L. Mahadevan have Academy of Sciences, January 2017 tional Academy of Sciences, May 2016 OEB 2016-2017 Newsletter News and Notes answered the question of why there is great is in collaboration with Catherine Dulac’s Pierce Lab), and Naomi Pierce published a diversity in egg shape and sizes. The answer lab in MCB. The study was covered by the study in the November 2016 issue of Fron- may also help explain how birds evolved. New York Times. tiers in Microbiology, showing that, unlike The groundbreaking study, published in the most herbivores, lycaenid butterflies do not June 2017 issue of Science, was chosen for Working with Emmanuel College scientists, rely on bacterial symbioses to mediate their the cover image. Martin Nowak and Ben Allen (researcher diet. in Nowak Lab) developed an algorithm to David Haig teamed with professors at the predict whether a social structure is likely to James Hanken was part of a team of sci- Department of Economics at the Univer- favor cooperation. Their findings, published entists that discovered three new speices of sity of Warwick to examine the effect of in the April 2017 issue of Nature, suggest minute salamanders in the Sierra Madre del learning a child’s gender on parents’ atti- strong pairwise relationships, rather than Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico. Until this discovery, tudes towards risky behaviors. The authors loose scattered networks, are more favor- only a single species had been reported gathered prenatal and post-birth data from able for cooperation. from the region. The three new salaman- the pediatric wards of hospitals in both the ders, in the genus Thorius, are the tiniest United Kingdom and Ukraine, allowing for L. Mahadevan used mathematical models tailed tetrapods known to science. The longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses to form a theory of how stems and shoots discovery was published in the November of those attitudes; a first for a study of this develop a sense of self and environment to 2016 issue of Peer Journal. kind. The study was presented at the26th grow in the manner they do. The study is Society for Risk Analysis-E Conference, published in the March 2017 issue of Jour- Pardis Sabeti was part of two teams of June 2017. nal of Royal Society Interface. scientists that reported a genetic mutation that may have made Ebola more deadly by Thomas Powell (former PhD student, PhD student, Danny Haelewaters (Pfister improving the virus’s ability to enter human Moorcroft Lab),James Wheeler (former Lab) collaborated with Jasmin Casmacho cells. The study, in the November 2016 PhD student, Holbrook Lab) and Paul (PhD student, Hoekstra Lab) to screen issue of Cell, analyzed thousands of Ebola Moorcroftexamined the unknown effects ectoparasitic bat flies from Hungary and genomes before discovering the deadly mu- of drought tolerance among mature Ama- Romania for the Presence of ectoparasitic tation. The exciting discovery was covered zon rainforest trees. The study, published Laboulbeniales fungi. The study, published in the New York Times, NBC News, Science in the May 2017 issue of Global Change in the February 2017 issue of Parasites & Magazine and The Atlantic. Biology, found the differences in xylem and Vectors, shows a complex network of bats, leaf hydraulic traits not only explain the bat flies and Laboulbeniales fungi. Research Associate, Ricardo Mallarino differences in drought tolerance among (Hoekstra Lab) and Hopi Hoekstra looked mature Amazon rainforest trees, but are Postdocs, Rosa Fernandez and Ana Lucia to the African striped mouse to investigate critical in determining the fate of the Tourinho (Giribet Lab), Prashant P. the periodic stripes pattern, which is com- Amazon rainforest if precipitation patterns Sharma (former PhD student, Giribet Lab) mon in mammals. Their findings, published change substantially. and Gonzalo Giribet used transcriptomics in the November 2016 issue of Nature, on the broadest taxonomic sampling to reveal the mechanisms that lead to the Pardis Sabeti and her team authored shed light on the harvestmen (Opiliones) evolution of these patterns. The study was one of three studies published in the May interrelationships. The study, published covered in BBC News, The Atlantic, Science 2017 issue of Nature on the evolution and in the February 2017 issue of Proceedings News and HHMI News. spread of the Zika virus. The Sabeti lab of the Royal Society B, also pieced together and two international teams of researchers an overview of the general biogeographic Gerard Talavera (postdoc, N. Pierce Lab) sequenced and studied the genomes of the patterns of the ancient arthropod group that discovered the mass migration and breeding Zika virus to trace its origin and spread dates back at least to the times of Pangea. of the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa car- across the Americas. Using a genetic clock dui) between Europe and central Africa. The and looking at DNA from samples from Heidi Fisher (former postdoc, Hoekstra study is published in the September 2016 people and mosquitoes, the three teams Lab), Emily Jacobs-Palmer (former PhD issue of Biological Jouranal of the Linnean determined the virus was spreading long student, Hoekstra Lab), Jean-Marc Las- Society. before the first cases were reported. The sance (postdoc, Hoekstra Lab) and Hopi study was covered by NBC News and Time. Hoekstra compared two closely related spe- cies, the deer mouse (peromyscus manicu- Student News Why are some mice and people monog- latus) and the oldfield mouse (P. polionotus) amous? Why are monogamous fathers and found the promiscuous deer mouse has Notable Awards better at parenting? In a study led by a gene that makes their sperm faster and Tauana Cunha (Giribet Lab) was awarded postdocs, Andrés Bendesky and Jean- more virile. The study is published in the the GSAS Merit Fellowship for her research Marc Lassance (Hoekstra Lab), and Hopi December 2016 issue of Nature Communi- proposal, “Integrative research in gastro- Hoekstra, the answer to the questions cations. pods: Phylogeny and shell shape evolution”, point to a genetic basis for parental care in May 2017 monogamous parents that can elvolve inde- Postdoc, Melissa Whitaker (N. Pierce Lab), pendently in males and females. The study, PhD student, Shayla Salzman (N. Pierce Min Ya (Kramer Lab) was selected as FAS published in the April 2017 issue of Nature, Lab), Jon Sanders (former PhD student, N. Featured Artist of the Month, April 2017

OEB 2016-2017 Newsletter News and Notes Min Ya (Kramer Lab) and Danny Haele- Thesis Defense • Christopher Tomkins-Tinch (Sabeti waters (Pfister Lab) were awarded the Les Congratulations to the 2017 PhD graduates Lab) Mehrhoff Botanical Research Fund, March successful defense and graduation! • Brianna Weir (Haig Lab) 2017 • Pierre Baduel (Bomblies Lab), “Pat- • Denise Yoon (de Bivort Lab) terns of genome evolution and habitat Several OEB PhD students received the adaptation in tetraploid Arabidopsis Undergraduate News 2016 Derek Bok Certificate of Distinction arenosa.” • Julius Bright Ross awarded the 2017 in Teaching. Fall 2016 Recipients: John • Leonora Bittleston (N. Pierce Lab), Marshall Scholarship Boyle (OEB 155R), Liming Cai (OEB 59), “Convergent interactions among pitch- • Annie Opel won the 2017 AAAS Stu- Samuel Church (OEB 115), Benjamin er plant microcosms in North America dent Poster Competition Goulet (OEB 50), Philip Grayson (OEB and Southeast Asia.” • Ezekiel Benshirim awarded the 119th 125), Danny Haelewaters (OEB 54), Am- • John Boyle (N. Pierce Lab),“Causes Jacob Wendell Scholarship Prize bika Kamath (OEB 210), Clara Levy (OEB and consequences of coexistence in 10), Min Ya (OEB 50), and Kira Treibergs the Vachellia drepanolobium ant-plant (OEB 10). Spring 2016 Recipients: Glenna mutualism.” Event Highlights Clifton (OEB 399), Mark Cornwall (OEB • Glenna Clifton (Biewener Lab), The OEB Seminar series had a successful 57), Tauana Cunha (OEB 51), Miriam “Anatomical patterns, kinematics, and 2016-2017 season with an incredible lineup Johnston (OEB 52), Ambika Kamath propulsive strategies of foot-based of speakers including: Nicole King, Un- (OEB 167), Mara Laslo (OEB 167), Clara swimming birds.” versity of Calfornia, Berkeley; Sarah Otto, Levy (OEB 52), Kelsey Lucas (OEB 130), • James Crall (N. Pierce Lab), “Foraging Univeristy of British Columbia; Laura Katz, Zachary Morris (OEB 126), Pavitra Mu- in a complex world: From individ- Smith College; Corrie Moreau, Field Mu- ralidhar (OEB 53), Mary Salcedo (OEB ual flight performance to collective seum of Natural History; Richard Lenski, 173), Allison Shultz (OEB 190), Kira behavior in bumblebees (Bombus Michigan State University; Karen Sears, Treibergs (OEB 234), and Dylan Wain- impatiens) .” University of Ilinois; Casey Dunn, Brown wright (OEB 130) • Kara Feilich (Lauder Lab), “Disentan- University; Zhe Xi Luo, The University of gling the roles of form and motion in Chicago; and Lee Dugatkin, University of Four OEB PhD students received NSF fish swimming performance.” Louisville. The OEB Seminar series also fea- Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants • Ambika Kamath (Losos Lab), “Phe- tured Harvard OEB faculty, Hopi Hoekstra, (DDIG) in the Directorate for Biological notypic variation and the behavioral Gonzalo Giribet, Benjamin de Bivort, and Sciences: Tauana Cunha (Giribet Lab), ecology of lizards.” Charles Davis. As well as Harvard faculty “Integrative Research in Gastropods: Phy- • Leandra King (Wakeley Lab), “Esti- Matthew Meselson (MCB) and Ann Pearson logeny and Shell Shape Evolution”; Mara mating TMRCA, modeling the fixed (EPS). Laslo (Hanken Lab), “Evaluating the Role pedigree, and the effect of the Y chro- of Thyroid Hormone in Embryonic Limb mosome on the chromatin landscape.” OEB hosted the 2017 Prather Lecture Series Development in Direct-Developing Frogs”; • Joel Nitta (Davis Lab), “Ecology and with Dr. Bonnie L. Bassler, Squibb Profes- Brianna McHorse (Biewener Lab), “Mac- evolution of the ferns of Moorea and sor in Molecular Biology, Chair, Department roevolutionary Drivers of Digit Reduction Tahiti, French Polynesia.” of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, in Fossil Horses’”; and Zach Morris (S. • Daniel Rice (Desai Lab), “Statistics and March 1-3, 2017. Dr. Bassler delivered three Pierce Lab), “The Evolution of Crocodylian dynamics of adaptation from de novo lectures to both the Harvard community Cranial Development” mutations.” and the public. Dr. Bassler’s public lecture, • Allison Shultz (Edwards Lab), “Com- “Tiny Conspiracies: Cell-to-Cell Commu- Sang Kim (Farrell Lab) received the parative and population genomics of nication in Bacteria” on March 2nd, was Society of Systematic Biologists Graduate host-pathogen co-evolution in birds.” co-sponsored by The Harvard Museum of Student Research Award for his research • Jingyi Yu (Zhang Lab), “Neural mech- Natural History. The Departments of OEB on diurnal longhorn beetle radiation in the anisms of a hyperosmotic behavioral and MCB co-sponsor The Prather Lecture Caribbean, July 2016 response in Caenorhabditis elegans.” Series. Emily Hager (Hoekstra Lab) received Welcome 2017 G1s! the American Society of Mammalogists The12th Annual Plant Biology Initiative • Wei-Ping Chan (N. Pierce Lab) Grants-in-Aid Fellowship, June 2016 Symposium, “Stomata: Evolution, Develop- • Austin Garner (Hopkins Lab) ment, and Physiology,” kicked off May 8th • Christopher Grassa (Davis Lab) with a special lecture by Lisa Ainsworth, Making News • Evan Hoki (N. Pierce Lab) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Molly Edwards (Kramer Lab) created and • Lydia Krasilnikova (Sabeti Lab) Dr. Ainsworth talk, “Understanding and hosts a new YouTube channel, Science IRL. • David Matthews (Lauder Lab) Improving Crop Responses to Global Atmo- Edwards’s popular channel takes viewers • Michael Miyagi (Desai & Wakeley spheric Change,” was also part of the Har- inside working labs for an upclose view of Labs) vard University Center for the Environment the daily work of scientists. The channel • Samantha Royle (Hanken Lab) (HUCE) Lecture Series, THE FUTURE OF features several Harvard labs and affiliates, • Shoyo Sato (Giribet Lab) FOOD: Climate, Crops, and Consequences. such as the Harvard Herbarium. • Jacob Suissa (Friedman Lab) A full-day symposium was held on May 9th

OEB 2016-2017 Newsletter News and Notes at the Arnold Arboretum’s Weld Hill Re- Staff News with students from Cambridge Rindge and search Building featuring speakers: Charles Latin High School; OEB Administrative T. Anderson, Pennsylvania State Univer- offices hosted Junior,Rakeyah Ahsan. sity; Sarah Assmann, Pennsylvania State Welcome New Staff Members University; Dominique Bergmann, Stan- • Julie Knippa Colby, Associate Director of Finance and Research Administration, Notable Awards ford University; Tim Brodribb, University Damari Rosado, Associate Director of Ad- of Tasmania; Peter Franks, The University March 2017 • Aliaksandr Iuleu, Experimental Re- ministration, was awarded the 2017 Harvard of Sydney; David Haig, OEB, Harvard Heroes Award. University; Tracy Lawson, University of search Machinist (Ölveczky Lab), Febru- ary 2017 Essex; and Julian Schroeder, University of Wendy Heywood, Communications and California, San Diego. • Rosa Capellan, Research Lab Coordina- tor (Extavour & Giribet Labs), November Events Coordinator, was awarded the 2017 2016 FAS Dean’s Distinction Award. Upcoming Events 2017-2018 • Bridget Chak, Researcher II Natural Science ( Lab), November 2016 Milestones in Service OEB Seminar Series • Melinda Peterson, Research Lab Coordi- September 7: Scott Edwards, OEB, Har- nator (Pfister & Davis Labs), September 20 Years Service: vard University 2016 Wendy Heywood (OEB Administration) September 21: Irene Pepperberg, Depart- • Lydia Carmosino, Senior Academic Pro- and Erin Ciccone (Cavanaugh, Holbrook & ment of Psychology, Harvard University grams Administrator, August 2016 Kramer Labs) celebrated 20 years of service. October 5: Marlene Zuk, University of • Maddie Marino, Faculty Assistant (Ed- Minnesota wards & Moorcroft Labs), August 2016 October 19: Martin Nowak, Program for • Jason Fleming, Senior Research Admin- 10 Years Service: Megan McHugh (OEB Administration) and Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard Univer- istrator, July 2016 sity Stephanie Hillsgrove (Girguis and Wakeley Labs) celebrated 10 years of service. November 2: Deborah Gordon, Stanford Community Outreach University OEB participated in the 2016-2017 School- 5 Years Service: November 9: Detlef Weigel, Max Planck to-Work (STW) program, a collaboration Kristin Pennarun (OEB Administration) Institute for Developmental Biology between the Cambridge Office of Workforce and Jennifer Delaney (Girguis Lab) cele- November 16: Nicholas Strausfeld, The Development and HUCTW. STW works University of Arizona brated 5 years of service. November 30: Sheila Patek, Duke Univer- sity January 25: Lacey Knowles, University of Michigan February 8: Paul Moorcroft, OEB, Harvard University February 15: Stephanie Pierce, OEB, Har- vard University February 22: Peter Girguis, OEB, Harvard University March 9: Nitin Phadnis, University of Utah March 22: Felicity Jones, The Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society April 5: Ian T. Baldwin, Max Planck Insti- tute for Chemical Ecology April 19: John Wakeley, OEB, Harvard University

PBI Symposium The 13th Annual Plant Biology Symposium will take place on May 7-8, 2018. The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology 26 Oxford Street Academic Events Cambridge, MA 02138 November 1-2: Sharing Science February 5-7: Graduate Admissions Visit March 23: Alumni Career Panel April 26-27: G4 Symposium

OEB 2016-2017 Newsletter