Antonis Rokas

Evolutionary Studies Initiative Receives NIH Training Grant for Computational Evolutionary Approaches to Disease

Dec. 5, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator In July 2025, the Evolutionary Studies Initiative at Vanderbilt University secured its first initiative-wide grant to train the next generation of biomedical scientists. The grant funded through the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences T32 Training Program, provides funding for two graduate students annually...

Annie Hatmaker Explores the Global Diversity of a Pathogenic Fungus

Aug. 18, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Annie Hatmaker, Ph.D., has spent the better part of a decade studying fungi and their secondary metabolites – small molecules they use to communicate, defend, and thrive. Her new publication, “Population structure in a fungal human pathogen is potentially linked to pathogenicity,” closes her dissertation work and opens...

Vanderbilt’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative Honored with 2025 Friend of Darwin Award

Jun. 4, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) has named Vanderbilt University’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative (ESI) as one of its 2025 recipients of the prestigious Friend of Darwin award. This national honor recognizes ESI’s outstanding contributions to advancing public understanding of evolution through interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach. Directed...

Two side-by-side images. On the left, a petri dish containing a fluffy white fungal colony with several circular growth patterns, representing a laboratory culture of the fungus Aspergillus. On the right, a close-up microscopic image showing the detailed structure of an Aspergillus spore head, with a dense cluster of greenish spores radiating from a central point, displaying the intricate texture and morphology of the fungal spores.

Researchers Discover Wide Variation in Virulence of Non-Pathogenic Fungi

Sep. 11, 2024—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. According to Rinker, “different isolates or...

A historical museum exhibit featuring a large fossilized skeleton of a prehistoric animal mounted vertically on a wooden support, with its ribcage and skull prominently displayed. In the foreground, there is a large tusk and skull of a mastodon. Multiple glass display cases filled with various fossils and geological specimens are arranged around the room. The room has tall windows with arched tops, a wooden ceiling with exposed beams, and framed pictures hanging on the walls.

Rediscovering the Lost Plesiosaur (Cast): Restoring Vanderbilt’s Natural History Museum

Aug. 27, 2024—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 years in a dim, cluttered...

Marie-Claire Harrison sitting on a couch smiling

Graduate Student Uncovers New Galactose Assimilation Pathway

Apr. 26, 2024—By: Andy Flick Evolutionary Studies Scientific Coordinator Not to be outdone by her significant contributions to a study that appeared in April 25’s Science magazine, Marie-Claire Harrison, a graduate student in the Rokas Lab, published a first-author article in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the very next day titled “Machine learning...

A group of 5 yeasts showcasing their diversity of forms

Vanderbilt Researchers Flip the Script on Yeast Ecological Diversity

Apr. 25, 2024—By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A mere decade or two ago, decoding the genome of every organism in a major branch of the tree of life and deciphering their diets was a pipedream. In a groundbreaking study, a team of researchers from Vanderbilt University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and other institutions worldwide have...

National Center for Science Education Hosts Conference at Vanderbilt University

Jul. 19, 2023—By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator The National Center for Science Education supports teachers in accurately conveying what can often be seen as the difficult or even politicized concepts in science. Making strides to help teachers understand topics like climate change and evolution are high priorities for the organization. This year, NCSE chose Vanderbilt...

Hands clapping with the word congratulations at the top

Trainees of ESI receive high praise

Apr. 8, 2022—By: Andy Flick Evolutionary Studies Initiative scientific coordinator We congratulate all trainees who applied for grants this cycle regardless of the result. Putting together major grants is hard work and a feat in and of itself. So, for those that didn’t get funded, keep your heads up, we still think you’re awesome! For the NSF...