Rebecca

Research Expertise and Interest

natural history, molecular genomics, phylogenetics

Research Description

Rebecca Tarvin is broadly interested in integrating studies of natural history with molecular genomics and phylogenetics. Specifically, she aims to elucidate causal genetic mechanisms underlying novel traits, characterize phenotypic diversification at macro and micro-evolutionary scales, and identify factors that promote and constrain biodiversity. Research in her lab often involves merging fieldwork, labwork, and bioinformatics to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary forces underlying adaptive traits. Current projects in the lab focus on chemical defense evolution in frogs, flies, snakes, and nudibranchs.

In the News

Machine Translation Could Make English-Only Science Accessible to All

Machine learning using artificial intelligence has improved computer translation over the past decade, but scientific articles employing specialized jargon are still a challenge for machine translation. Nevertheless, scientists should prioritize translating articles into multiple languages to provide an equitable landscape for budding scientists worldwide, UC Berkeley researchers argue.

Losing Amphibian Diversity Also Means Losing Poison Diversity

While frog and salamander declines worldwide have made scientists outspoken about the need to preserve amphibian genetic diversity, two University of California, Berkeley, biologists emphasize another important reason for conserving these animals: their poisons.
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