Reptile and Amphibian Evolution, Microbiome Interactions, Systematics & Biogeography
While broadly interested in evolution and biodiversity, research in the Lab focuses on how host-associated microbial communities influence host ecology and evolution and how contemporary studies can elucidate evolutionary processes using phylogenetic tools. Our primary animal systems are reptiles and amphibians, but we also have projects in other diverse groups including fish, spiders and marine invertebrates. Our research relies heavily on making and utilizing biological collections and integrating big data and computationally intense analyses. We regularly use techniques from molecular biology, microbial ecology and genomics to answer questions regarding how microbes contribute to host ecology and evolution, and the underlying mechanisms governing these interactions. Projects in the lab scale from local to global, and we have been fortunate to work extensively in tropical Central and South America as well as the Horn of Africa. If you are interested in access to samples or collaboration please email PI Colston: tim@maddreptiles.com
****News & Media**** Latest publication on Snake Gut Microbiome Communities in Integrative & Comparative Biology !
The Lab has been busy and is growing! Interested in joining Lab? Please check out the "Join the Lab" page for an overview of available opportunities!
MADDReptiles Lab Funded by NSF in Collaboration with U. of Florida's Behavioral Disease Ecology Lab
Through a Collaborative award from the NSF IOS the Lab will be studying the evolution of venom and microbiomes and their impact on social behavior in spiders! This award will fund multiple graduate students, a postdoc and a lab manager at UPRM and UF. The Team just completed fieldwork in Namibia and South Africa, and Dr. Sierra Smith has joined the project as an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology!
MADDReptiles Lab Funded by the Department of Defense in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Over the next 3-5 years the Lab will be leading efforts to identify and characterize toxins from native and non-native species in Puerto Rico, in collaboration with Abel Baerga and Luis Prieto at the PR STRT and Center for Tropical Biology. This project will fund multiple graduate students. MS student Yeissette Burgos is leading the first project under this project, characterizing toxins and microbial contribution to toxicity in the Cuban Tree Frog in Puerto Rico.
MADDReptiles Lab Funded by NSF to collect data on Invasive Snakes in Puerto Rico
Through an NSF RAPID award, the MADDReptiles Lab and our collaborators at UPRM will collect samples from the invasive constrictor populations in Puerto Rico. These samples will be used to document the genomic and metagenomic signatures of these invasions, including potential disease threats to native reptiles.
MADDReptiles Lab Funded by NSF to Study the Microbiome of Puerto Rican Reptiles
Through an NSF BRC-BIO award, the MADDReptiles Lab will collect microbiome samples for amplicon and metagenomic sequencing from all species of reptiles native to Puerto Rico. We will be establishing live animal colonies to investigate microbiome acquisition and transmission, as well as establish long-term monitoring sites across multiple habitat types to investigate seasonal shifts in the microbiome. This work will be conducted primarily by undergraduate researchers and we will be partnering with local schools to provide research opportunities to high school students.