The McKenna Lab
Revealing the Evolution & Genomic Basis of Insect Biodiversity

Overview

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People: professor & principal investigator Duane McKenna, research assistant professor Stephanie Haddad, postdocs (Austin Baker, Xuankun Li, Lynette Strickland), PhD research associates (Rich Adams, Cristian Beza, Dave Clarke, & Seunggwan Shin), graduate (PhD) students (Michael Charles, Soohyun Jeong), undergraduates, and other lab members.

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Research: insect systematics and evolution with a focus on beetles (order Coleoptera), geographic patterns of diversity and endemism (worldwide), biodiversity conservation, general natural history, and the ecology, evolution and genomic basis of plant-feeding.

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Affiliation: Center for Biodiversity Research (CBio) in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Memphis—a leading metropolitan research and teaching institution in Memphis, TN, USA.

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June 2022: The McKenna Lab is hiring a 4-year postdoc in insect genomics and evolution. The successful applicant will be primarily responsible for data analysis and lab work associated with a variety of comparative genomic, phylogenomic, and other evolutionary studies of insects (mostly beetles), with a particular focus on the evolution and genomic basis of specialized plant-feeding. The successful candidate will work closely with me and other members of my lab. All researchers with relevant background will be considered, regardless of the organism(s) previously studied. If wet lab training/experience is limited, we can train. The position is open until filled.

For more info. & to apply visit: https://workforum.memphis.edu/postings/31418.

Contact for questions: Duane McKenna (dmckenna@memphis.edu)