The Evolutionary Genetics (EG) expertise group is a cooperative assembly of researchers who share a common interest in understanding how phenotypic diversity emerges from the interplay between genes and their environment. Discovering the basis of such diversity in morphology, physiology, behaviour and social organisation is crucial for understanding the origin of life’s diversity, the adaptive capacity of species in the face of environmental change, and offers an evolutionary window into health and disease. 

Our group’s research expertise spans a number of key themes: 

• Sex determination & reproduction
• Social behaviour and social organisation
• Genetic and developmental basis of trait variation
• Functional genomics, epigenomic, regulatory and transcriptional variation 
• Selection, adaptation and divergence in natural populations
• Gene-by-environment interactions, plasticity and adaptive evolution
• Host-parasite and host-microbe interactions

We integrate cutting-edge molecular and genetic approaches with innovative physiological and behavioural assays in the laboratory, field and semi-natural conditions. Collectively, we study a range of organisms from insects, fish, and mice (and humans) with state-of-the-art animal facilities. 

Alongside our independent research lines, we contribute to a collaborative environment through shared facilities, weekly meetings, support for each other's teaching and research and joint projects. Together, we foster a rich environment for scientific discovery and training. 

We welcome prospective students and collaborators year-round and offer a broad spectrum of research projects for graduate and undergraduate courses across biology, ecology & evolution, neuroscience, and molecular bioscience programs at the University of Groningen.