The Pienaar Lab

We are a diverse set of academics interested in integrative evolutionary biology. Our primary research goal is to elucidate evolutionary links between genetic systems, trait adaptations and the ecological context they occur in, including coevolutionary processes. We develop and use a combination of phylogenetic comparative and phylogenomic analyses, various "omics" and phenotypic  measurements to understand how charismatic traits such as desiccation resistance in tardigrades, salinity tolerance in rotifers, and  sex allocation in fig wasps have evolved.