Erik Clark

Research Area

We are broadly interested in the evolution and development of arthropods, with a specific focus on the evolution of gene regulatory networks involved in patterning the anteroposterior axis of insects. Major topics of investigation include segmentation mechanisms and their evolution; self-organisation processes in early embryos; and the evolvability (or otherwise) of robust developmental systems.

We use an interdisciplinary set of methods, which can be summarised in the slogan “microscopy, mutants, and modelling”. We use advanced microscopy (e.g. multiplexed confocal imaging) and computational bioimage analysis to quantitatively characterise gene expression patterns within embryos. We use a variety of genetic tools to perturb developmental processes within embryos and test regulatory interactions. And we use computational models and simulations to understand how complex developmental systems function as a whole.

Our workhorse model species is the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, but we also work on the beetle Tribolium castaneum and plan to introduce additional insect species to the lab in the future.

Project Interests

We are particularly interested in co-developing projects that involve comparative developmental biology across different arthropod species. For example, comparing early embryonic patterning across different species of flies, or investigating developmental heterochrony across different species of beetles. Projects investigating developmental mechanisms in individual “non-model” species are also welcome.

Other possibilities include laboratory evolution experiments using mutagenised populations of Drosophila, or computational modelling projects investigating the evolvability of gene regulatory networks.