Cynthia UlbingI am an Ithaca native and an Ithaca College graduate. My research interests revolve around the influence of genomics on evolutionary biology and ecology. Through observations on the Drosophila bag of marbles (bam) gene I hope to learn more about the adaptive behavior of genes essential to reproduction and therefore species survival. Specifically, I am interested in how gene expression of bam changes through interactions with the intracellular bacteria Wolbachia. I hope that learning this may elucidate some of the history of bam’s evolution across Drosophila genus and the patterns of positive selection found in some Drosophila species. My role in the lab is to assist in ongoing research and support multiple experiments, including the preparation and analysis of RNA-sequencing data aimed at answering these questions. In my free time, I also enjoy live music, good coffee, and a range of outdoor activities
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