I am interested in the genomic signatures in evolution.  

My PhD project at the computational-systems-biology lab focuses on the role of epigenetics in hybrid formation and lineage differentiation using great tit (Parus major) as the model species. I am investigating how the genome and epigenome involves in lineages divergence and hybridization. 

I am also investigating the nuclear gene fragments originated from mitochondrial genes. To check how the genomes are affected by horizontal gene transfer. 

My main research interests are evolutionary genetics and phenotypic plasticity specifically in relation to the changing climate and environment. 

For my PhD project, I study the genetic, epigenetic, and ecological drivers of urbanization in songbirds. The project is based in the TU Dortmund campus, which serves as a field site consisting of ~100 nest boxes. Using modern monitoring methods, the aim is to measure different environmental factors at nest site level to provide a fine-scale estimate of urbanization, and to see how these different urban factors affect avian habitat choice and fitness. In addition, the goal is to understand the genetic and epigenetic drivers of short-term environmental adaptation.

With a background in biochemical engineering, I joined the CSB group to develop expertise in bioinformatics. My research interests lie in genome evolution, epigenetics and genomic regulation. In my master’s thesis I studied transposable elements, which have an ambiguous character as genetic novelties and harmful parasites. Additionally, I identified conserved insertions that have been co‑opted by the host for functional purposes. While work on this subject has generally focused on the capacity of transposable elements to introduce coding genes, my work contributes to a growing body of research highlighting their regulatory potential.

My current doctoral research focuses on segmental duplications, comparing the current reference genome of the great tit with a newly assembled genome acquired through nanopore sequencing. This third generational sequencing technology has the capacity to unveil new and hidden regions of the avian genome and its epigenetic modifications.