The LAQE

The Laboratory of AQuatic Evolution at Mississippi State University

LAQErs work underwater to reveal nature's keys to coexistence: how genes coexist after duplication, how genomes coexist following endosymbiosis, and how species coexist with pathogens and invasive species.

Who we are

The LAQErs are students, staff, and faculty who are motivated to better understand the diversification of underwater life.

We engage with educators, non-governmental conservation organizations, and state and federal agencies who apply our research results to problems of real-world importance. Learn more about us here.

What we do

A unifying theme of our lab is the study of interactions among biological entities across levels of organization. We examine how duplicated genes interact, how mitochondrial and nuclear genomes coevolve to regulate bioenergetic function, and how species interactions structure ecological communities. By integrating evolutionary genomics, physiology, and community ecology, we seek to understand how these interactions produce emergent properties that cannot be predicted from individual components alone.

Our shared ethos is to conserve freshwater animals, as they rank among the world's most endangered species. To accomplish this goal, we highlight the societal benefits brought by healthy local aquatic ecosystems, especially those relating to human disease risk. Read about our research here.

Where we go

Our work takes us to places near and far, from the Tenn-Tom Waterway, to the depths of Siberia's Lake Baikal, to the rainforests of French Guiana. There is nowhere we won't go to catch fish in the name of science! For more information (and photos) of our field sites, follow the links to our research pages below.

How to get involved

The LAQE is growing, and we want to work with you! If you are interested in joining our research group, contact Dr. Sandel to request more information. Collaborators are always encouraged to reach out, especially if you share our dedication to serving underrepresented groups in science. Prospective students and collaborators can contact Dr. Sandel at michael.sandel @ msstate.edu.

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