We are based at Uppsala University (Sweden), in the Department of Ecology and Genetics. We study insects to understand how evolution shapes differences between females and males—and how these differences are written into the genome.
Our research explores how natural and sexual selection interact to shape traits such as size, reproduction, behaviour, and lifespan. Many of these traits are part of an organism’s life history, and they often differ between the sexes in ways that reflect both cooperation and conflict. We are especially interested in genetic conflicts between females and males, and how these can maintain variation in populations and influence how species adapt.
To understand this, we take a broad genomic perspective. We study how selection leaves traces across the genome—from differences in gene activity to changes in gene content and genome structure. This includes the special role of sex chromosomes, but also how shared genes are regulated differently in females and males, and how processes like gene duplication and mobile DNA contribute to evolutionary change.
We combine experiments with genomic data to connect what we see in organisms—how they grow, survive, and reproduce—with the underlying genetic mechanisms. By linking ecology, life-history evolution, and genomics, our goal is to better understand how complex traits evolve and how biological diversity is generated.
Immonen Lab 