Joshua S. Rest, Associate Professor and Chair

Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2004

Genome evolution

Office: LS 676

Phone: (631) 632-1916

Research Summary:

Joshua Rest focuses on evolutionary genomics, investigating the mechanisms behind changes in gene expression, protein structure, and genome architecture, and their impact on fitness and phenotypic traits in organisms including yeast, mammals, plants, protists, and viruses. The Rest lab uses computational and experimental techniques to study horizontal gene transfer, gene network evolution, and viral-host genome evolution. We seek to understand how these processes drive biological diversity and function, connecting molecular changes to broader evolutionary patterns and their biological consequences.