New DDLS Fellow: Jennifer James
The SciLifeLab & Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) continues to recruit outstanding early career scientists. In this Q&A, we highlight DDLS Fellow Jennifer James (Uppsala University). Jennifer uses large-scale genomic data and population genetics to understand how new mutations shape traits and fitness over evolutionary time. She explains how factors such as life history, phylogenetic relatedness, genomic landscape, and protein properties may help predict whether mutations are beneficial, neutral, or harmful, and how this can improve models of long-term molecular evolution and adaptive change. Jennifer belongs to the DDLS Evolution & biodiversity research area.
Jenifer got her PhD from the University of Sussex (Brighton, UK), and worked at the University of Cambridge (UK) and the University of Arizona (USA) before coming to Sweden.
How do you think your expertise can contribute to the program?
The huge amount of genomic data now available has opened up new frontiers in research, and I am excited to be able to leverage this data using modern analysis techniques to really unravel the complexities of evolutionary biology. I believe I bring a theoretical and ‘big picture’ approach to questions of molecular evolution, a perspective which I think is unique in the program- I am sure I can put my background in population genetics to good use, and hope to foster many exciting collaborations.
Shortly describe your research in an easy to understand way.
Mutations provide the vital raw material necessary for evolution and adaptation. New mutations occur regularly, generating genetic diversity, i.e., new heritable variation among individuals. Of these new mutations, it is interesting to consider how many generate variation in the traits of the individuals that carry them. And, most importantly for evolution by natural selection, how do new mutations impact fitness, which is defined as the ability of individuals to survive and reproduce? Relatively little is known about the proportion of new mutations that are beneficial, neutral, slightly harmful, and very harmful, even though this understanding is essential to our understanding of long-term patterns of molecular evolution. In my research I aim to explore whether particular factors are predictive of the proportion of new mutations that fall into each of these categories, to better understand the link between genetic diversity and variation in phenotypic traits and hence fitness. The factors that might explain the link between genetic diversity and phenotypic trait diversity include life history, phylogenetic relatedness, features of the genomic landscape, and also, the molecular properties of proteins.
How do you think the program and interactions with the other DDLS-Fellows will benefit you?
The program has allowed me to start my research group, which is an incredible jump-start to my career! I am optimistic about my future in fundamental evolutionary biology research, and very grateful for the opportunity. As fellows we have an excellent collaborative environment, and so are able to work on multidisciplinary projects together- for example, I am working with fellows who are geneticists, ecologists and theoreticians to understand long term patterns of evolution in a wholistic way, and develop predictive models of adaptive evolution.
Name one thing that people generally do not know about you.
I love rock climbing- I wish I could always be at the crag.
Where do you see yourself in five years regarding the DDLS aspect?
In five years I hope to be leading a fantastic established group at the frontier of my field, building new, detailed models of molecular evolution that incorporate our understanding of genome organisation and proteomics. I see us analysing the huge datasets at our disposal to further develop our understanding of how new mutations impact proteins and fitness on a macroevolutionary scale.
In one word, describe how you feel about becoming a DDLS-Fellow.
Enthused!
