Genome Dynamics and Structural Variation
Plants harbor extraordinary structural variation — inversions, transposable elements, copy number variants, and pan-genome loci that are present in some individuals but absent in others. We use long-read sequencing and comparative genomics to characterize this variation and understand how it contributes to phenotypic diversity and local adaptation.
Current projects:
- Pistachio pan-genome and multi-genome reference
- Structural variants controlling flowering time in Juglandaceae
- Comparative genomics of understudied crop species
Notable papers:
- Ebrahimi et al. (2025) — Phylogenomic analysis of the Juglandaceae reveals black walnut as an ancient lineage · bioRxiv
- Adaskaveg et al. (2025) — In a nutshell: pistachio genome and kernel development · New Phytologist
- Quiroz et al. (2025) — Evolutionary trajectories of cohesin gatekeepers across the Tree of Life · bioRxiv
Grey Monroe
Associate Professor
Plant genome biologist studying mutation rate variation, epigenome-recruited DNA repair, and functional genomics.