Investigating mating systems shifts
In her research, Tanja Slotte uses population genetics and genomic tools to study classic evolutionary questions. She is especially interested in the causes and consequences of plant mating system shifts, such as shifts from outcrossing to self-fertilization.
Mating system shifts are often associated with marked changes in reproductive traits, such as flowering time and flower size and shape. Tanja wants to understand the functional and genetic basis of these changes, as well as in understanding the genomic impact of mating system shifts.
“Recent developments in genomics have had a huge impact on my field, as we can now analyze genomic data sets of a size we could only dream of a few decades ago”, said Tanja Slotte.
She hopes that her research will lead to an improved understanding of the factors that affect the distribution of genetic variation within and among species, and across different parts of genomes. Her work has the potential to lead to an improved understanding of the genetic basis of plant adaptation, which could potentially be useful in agricultural settings.