Molecular Evolution and Evolutionary Systems Biology

Our primary interests revolve around evolutionary innovations and adaptation in systems that range from molecules to biological networks. How do metabolic and regulatory networks enable innovation? How important are gene duplications for innovation? What is the role of genetic robustness, neutrality, cryptic variation, phenotypic plasticity, and cooperation in facilitating innovation? To ask these and many other questions, we use experimental evolution in organisms like yeast and E.coli, computational and bioinformatic methods, and mathematical modeling.

Head of group: Prof. Dr. Andreas Wagner

• The origin of evolutionary innovations
• Robustness in living systems
• Genetic and metabolic networks
• Evolution by gene duplication
• Reverse engineering of genetic systems
• Evolvability of signaling circuits
• Conceptual foundations of evolutionary theory

More details can be found here Andreas Wagner Lab