Marjorie F. Oleksiak
Professor, Marine Biology and Ecology Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science
moleksiak@miami.edu
Dr. Oleksiak’s research focuses on the evolutionary genetics that drive adaptation in natural populations. She integrates genomics, which identifies DNA sequence variation, with ecology, which defines biologically relevant traits, along with molecular, biochemical, and physiological measurements. Together, these approaches help reveal the genetic differences among populations that enhance physiology and survival in different environments. With Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies, it is now possible to pinpoint DNA changes associated with local adaptation and to track changes in gene expression (mRNA) that influence the production of proteins essential for an organism’s function. By applying these tools, we can estimate the number of individuals required for effective conservation, assess genetic diversity as a measure of species health, and investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptive physiological traits. Understanding these adaptive processes not only informs conservation strategies but also has important implications for human health. Many of the genetic and physiological mechanisms that allow animals to survive extreme environmental stressors—such as changes in temperature, oxygen availability, or salinity—are relevant to understanding human responses to disease, environmental stress, and climate change. By studying natural models of adaptation, we gain insights that can inform biomedical research, including strategies for improving human resilience to stress and developing new approaches to managing health in changing environments.
Keywords: genetics, genomics, populations, evolution, traits, adaptation
