Research Summary:

I am interested in the evolution of wing patterns in butterflies. Much of what we know about wing patterning comes from work in Drosophila. In Drosophila, it has been shown that a signaling center along the compartment boundary is responsible for the proper positioning and patterning of wing veins. To understand how this process occurs in butterflies and how it may have evolved in insects, I am analyzing the expression of orthologs of Drosophila wing patterning genes in imaginal discs of Junonia coenia during larval development.

Education:

University of California, Berkeley
B.A., Molecular and Cellular Biology-Biochemistry (prospective)
June 2008-Present (expected graduation: May 2010)