HUGHES, Kim

Department of Animal Biology

Ph.D. (1993) University of Chicago

  Research Topics

    - Evolutionary genetics

    -  Genetics of aging and reproduction

    -  Maintenance of genetic variation

    -  Quantitative Genetics

  Research Interests

    Quantitative genetics is the study of genetic and non-genetic influences on complex (quantitative) phenotypes.  Special techniques and methods of analysis are used to study these traits because the phenotypes are, by definition, highly variable.  My particular interest has been to understand why there is so much genetic variation for traits such as longevity and fertility, which should be subject to strong natural selection to eliminate variation.  Much of my work has been directed toward documenting the extent of genetic variation for these traits, locating specific genes (or chromosomal regions) associated with the variation, and understanding the causes (mutational and selective mechanisms) and consequences (genetic load, inbreeding depression) of this variation.

     I have used experimental quantitative genetics to investigate fertility and longevity variation in Drosophila melanogaster, Peromyscus leucopus, and humans.  I have also published several papers on the genetic basis of aging, and on explicit tests of models of the genetics and evolution of aging.

     I am currently involved in several investigations:

            (1) QTL (quantitative trait locus) mapping of male fertility traits in Drosphila, 

                  funded by a four-year NSF Career Award;

            (2)  A study of global gene expression (microarrays) related to variation in           

                   fertility and longevity;

            (3)  An experimental study of the causes of mortality plateaus that occur in both

                   experimental organisms an in humans (funded by National Institute on 

                   Aging.).

            (4)  Collaborative research on the maintenance of genetic variation in secondary

                   sexual traits in wild guppies (funding pending).

            (5)  An exploration of the causes and consequences of genetic variation and

                   phenotypic plasticity in human fertility and longevity.

  Key Words  Aging, reproduction, evolution, microarrays, genetics

  Current Research Funding  NSF, NIH