I am a zoologist broadly interested in using genetic and genomic data to better understand the evolutionary history of model and non-model organisms and in studying the microevolutionary processes controlling their population dynamics and genetic diversity. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Rohlfs Lab at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution - University of Oregon.

Carolina L. Adam, PhD

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

at University of Oregon

Contact me at

carolinaladam@gmail.com

carolid@uoregon.edu

Current Research

Tandem Repeat Evolution

Tandem repeats (TRs) are repetitive DNA sequences crucial in genome evolution and function. Technological limitations held back our grasp of these elements until recently. Now, with long-read, high-fidelity whole-genome sequencing and advanced analytical tools, we are poised to uncover the extensive TR variation across eukaryotic genomes.

During my postdoc research, I am focused on understanding the role of TRs in primate genomes—particularly humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos. Our goal is to understand TR evolution and investigate the underlying mechanisms dictating the adaptive potential of these species by identifying and characterizing key TR loci.

Coral Phylogenetics

Scleractinian corals, known as "hard corals", are the main builders of coral reefs, and are extremely susceptible to environmental disturbances. In order to design effective conservation plans, it is essential to identify the taxonomic units that make up the reef ecosystem and fully understand their population dynamics and genetic diversity.
During my PhD, I used next-generation sequencing data to assess the species boundaries and population genetic structure of Atlantic reef-building corals. My emphasis was on the understudied Brazilian species, which form the only true coral reefs of the South Atlantic.