Bioinformatics

The Bioinformatics discipline unites research groups that develop and apply computational, statistical, and genomic methods to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, and cell biology. Members build probabilistic models and analytical tools for population genetics, phylogenomics, evolutionary genomics, and quantitative image analysis, applying them to diverse organisms ranging from vertebrates and arthropods to plants, fungi, and lichens. Research spans the reconstruction of vertebrate diversity using ancient and modern genomic data, the statistical modelling of evolutionary processes and ecological interactions, the analysis of gene regulation and epigenetic variation across species, and the molecular ecology of symbiotic systems. Advanced bioinformatic and computational imaging approaches are also used to analyze high-dimensional microscopy datasets, enabling the quantitative investigation of cellular organization, molecular dynamics, and subcellular processes. Field-based and laboratory data are integrated with next-generation sequencing, microscopy-based imaging, and large-scale bioinformatic workflows to investigate how genomes evolve, how species diversify, how cells are organized, and how organisms adapt to changing environments. The discipline also encompasses the study of mitochondrial genome maintenance, animal domestication history, and the developmental genetic basis of morphological diversity in arthropods. By combining algorithmic innovation with biological inquiry, the discipline provides the quantitative foundation for modern evolutionary, ecological, and cell biological research.