Emma Teeling

Biography

 Prof. Emma Teeling established the Laboratory of Molecular Evolution and Mammalian Phylogenetics in 2005 and is the Founding Director of the Centre for Irish Bat Research at University College Dublin (UCD). She has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council Starting grant (2012) and a Science Foundation Ireland, President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (2006). Her integrative research in the fields of zoology, phylogenetics, genomics and conservation biology uncovers the genetic signatures of survival that enables species to adapt to an ever-changing environment. The two mains goals of her research are: (1) study unique model species to enable a better understanding of the structure and function of the human genome to inform medicine and molecular biology; (2) understand and therefore conserve, natural populations and environments to promote ecosystem well-being and functioning. She successfully leads a prolific, internationally renowned research team of typically 10 people and has secured over 4.4M in research funding. 

Research Interest

 For the past 15 years she has investigated the evolutionary relationships among mammals both at the nucleotide and genomic level. Mammals are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrates, with large differences in body size, life span, ecological adaptation, metabolic rate, behavior, reproduction and locomotion. She examine this variation using comparative genomics to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying morphological and physiological adaptation and to help annotate and explain our own genome. Furthermore, she use evolutionary analyses of whole genomes and targeted genes sequenced in divergent species to understand of the patterns of human disease mutations in many inherited visual and auditory diseases. Finally, she investigate how species and populations transform in response to recent environmental changes and use genetic data to inform conservation management plans. Current research projects running in her laboratory include: (1) Evolution of exceptional longevity in mammals. (2) Evolution of sensory perception in mammals and the implications for visual and auditory diseases. (3) Untangling the drivers of sensory speciation. (4) The mammal tree of life. (5) Phylogenetic history, population structure and conservation status of Irish bats.