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David Hillis

Hillis, David
Alfred W. Roark Centennial Professor In Natural Sciences
Director, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

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Main Office: PAT 132 Phone: (512) 471-5792

Alternate Office: PAT 133 Phone: (512) 471-5661

Mailing Address:
The University of Texas at Austin - ICMB
1 University Station CO930
2415 Speedway
Austin,TX 78712-1095

Research Summary:
Evolutionary biology provides a conceptual framework for understanding patterns of molecular diversity. For instance, phylogenetic analyses have permeated most fields of molecular biology in recent years, from studies of the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency viruses to studies of the origin of life. Work in my lab is divided into two main areas: empirical studies of molecular evolution and the development of evolutionary theory and methodology. The empirical studies include experimental manipulation of viruses to study evolution in vitro, phylogenetic analyses of highly conserved genes, and studies of molecular processes that give rise to new genes or maintain the structure of multigene families. The theoretical and methodological work is centered on finding the best ways to estimate phylogenies from molecular sequences and on simulations of molecular evolution using supercomputers.


Publications:
2012 Schonhuth, S., D. M. Hillis, D. A. Neely, L. Lozano-Vilano, A. Perdices, and R. L. Mayden, Phylogeny, diversity, and species delimitation in the North American Round-Nosed Minnows (Teleostei: Dionda), as inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 62: 427-446 view
2011 Hedtke, S. M., M. Glaubrecht, and D. M. Hillis, Rare gene capture in a predominantly androgenetic species, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 108: 9520-9524 view
2011 Liebeskind, B. J., D. M. Hillis, and H. H. Zakon, Evolution of sodium channels predates the origin of nervous systems in animals, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 108: 9154-9159 view
2011 Hedtke, S. M., and D. M. Hillis, The potential role of androgenesis in cytoplasmic-nuclear phylogenetic discordance, Systematic Biology 60: 87-109 view
2010 Scaduto, D. I., J. M. Brown, W. C. Haaland, D. J. Zwickl, D. M. Hillis, and M. L. Metzker, Source identification in two criminal cases using phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 DNA sequences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 107: 21242-21247 view
2009 Baird, A. B., D. M. Hillis, J. C. Patton, and J. W. Bickham, Speciation by monobrachial centric fusions: A test of the model using nuclear DNA sequences from the bat genus Rhogeessa, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50: 256-267 view
2008 Jost, M. C., D. M. Hillis, Y. Lu, J. W. Kyle, H. A. Fozzard, and H. H. Zakon, Toxin-resistant sodium channels: Parallel adaptive evolution across a complete gene family, Molecular Biology and Evolution 25: 1016-1024 view
2008 Hedtke, S. M., K. Stanger-Hall, R. J. Baker, and D. M. Hillis, All-male asexuality: Origin and maintenance of androgenesis in the Asian clam Corbicula , Evolution 62: 1119-1136 view
2006 Holloway, A. K., D. C. Cannatella, H. C. Gerhardt, and D. M. Hillis , Polyploids with different origins and ancestors form a single sexual polyploid species, American Naturalist 167: E88-E101 view
2006 Zakon, H. H., Y. Lu, D. J. Zwickl, and D. M. Hillis, Sodium channel genes and the evolution of diversity in communication signals of electric fishes: Convergent molecular evolution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 103: 3675-3680 view