Blouin, Michael

I have diverse interests in basic and applied evolutionary genetics. I teach General Genetics (BI 311) , Population Genetics (Gen 530) and Evolution (Bi445). My past research focused on the genetic and environmental causes of variation in morphological and life-history traits of amphibians. The current emphasis of my lab is the use of molecular methods to study the genetic structure of populations of a variety of taxa.  I have a particular interest in the use of microsatellite loci for pedigree reconstruction in natural populations (e.g. Blouin 2003).  Some recent projects include:

Herps and fish Recent projects include using mtDNA and microsatellites to study gene flow and population structure in Cascades frogs (RanaCascade), spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa, Rana luteiventris), and leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), and studies on the selective maintenance of a color polymorphism in leopard frogs.  We are also using microsatellites to reconstruct the pedigree of an entire population of steelhead trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) for purposes of comparing the relative reproductive success of hatchery and wild fish, and for studying what controls the effective sizes of these populations (project photos). 

Parasite evolutionary genetics The population genetic structure of a parasite species has important implications for evolutionary processes such as host-race formation, adaptation to host defenses, and the evolution of drug resistance.  Yet surprisingly little is known about the genetic structure of most parasite species, much less how variation among species in life cycle controls genetic structure.  We use molecular methods to test hypotheses about the causes and consequences of genetic structuring within and between parasite populations.  For example, recent work on trematodes includes testing hypotheses about host movement and gene flow between populations, about levels of genetic mixing between infrapopulations, and on what controls the selfing rate.  Past work included studies on what controls gene flow in parasitic nematodes, and on the molecular evolution of mtDNA in helminthes.  For a recent review of parasite molecular ecology see Criscione et al. (2005).  We are currently collaborating with my colleague in Zoology, Chris Bayne, on a study of selection on loci in snails that are associated with resistance to schistosomes.