Welcome to the Sproul Lab

There are nearly 2 million known species on the planet and likely many times that number of yet undiscovered species. What are the rules of life that gave rise to the diversity we observe? Why do some lineages (e.g., insects) have so many species while others have relatively few? We aim to understand the patterns of species diversity and investigate the processes and mechanisms that give rise to that diversity. Our research centers on themes of insect biodiversity, repetitive DNA, rapid genome evolution, and the interface of the three. Ongoing projects span organismal biology, collections-based research, high-elevation field biology, molecular benchwork, computational biology, and bioinformatic tool development. We love to learn through collaboration – across fields and study systems. If any topics on this site strike a chord, or you are interested learning more about what we do, please don’t hesitate to reach out.