Andrew Flick

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator In a groundbreaking study led by Sarah Worthan, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Behringer Lab at Vanderbilt University, scientists have successfully evolved microbial cultures that possess the ability to sense pH changes, enabling rapid responses to environmental fluctuations. Along with highlighting… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Barr (left) and Hillyer in the lab. Submitted photo Mosquitoes tread a thinning line in warming climates, where aging accelerates and infections intensify. New research shows that warming and aging act as a one-two punch, lowering mosquito lifespans and fanning the flames of… Read More

By Danielle Bowden, Evolutionary Studies administrative specialist Nashville, TN –– Vanderbilt University’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative is thrilled to announce that distinguished evolutionary biologist Anne Yoder will be delivering the annual Biodiversity Day Lecture. Yoder is widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on the genetics and speciation of… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Children receive consistent care and supervision when mothers work in roles compatible with childcare, leading to fewer illness days. (DALL-E) High-quality care by grandparents or siblings helps maintain child health when mothers work away from home. (DALL-E) Children without a dedicated caregiver face… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study led by research assistant professor David Rinker sheds light on how fungal pathogenicity might evolve. The article, “Strain heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic Aspergillus fungus highlights factors associated with virulence,” was published in the journal Communications Biology in September 2024. Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Graduate student Kat Turk from Vanderbilt University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, along with an international team of collaborators, has uncovered new evidence that ancient priapulid worms, through their burrowing behavior, may have been some of the earliest ecosystem engineers. The… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Being able to correlate changes in day length with seasonal weather patterns is crucial for many organisms to adapt to their environments. Trees shed their leaves, arctic foxes grow thicker coats, and bears prepare for hibernation. But what about smaller, short-lived organisms? New… Read More

By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Embarking on a new research project often brings unexpected discoveries—some intriguing, some novel, but rarely a find of a lifetime. Such a remarkable discovery occurred when university archivist and associate director Kathy Smith stumbled upon a pile of plaster, hidden away for 60… Read More

By: Alexandria Leeper, Evolutionary Studies Graduate Communications Assistant Imagine you are trying to stargaze. You live in a suburban area where there are little streetlamps, and the darkness of the night envelops most of the sky, making the stars visible. However, you are adjacent to a major city. When you… Read More

By Nick McCoy, Evolutionary Studies undergraduate communications assistant  Reese Martin has always been drawn to biology and exploring the behaviors of different organisms. During his childhood, he dug in anthills, and now he observes the life history traits of flower beetles and other taxa. Martin’s new… Read More