My research seeks to uncover the mechanisms leading to the establishment and maintenance of mutually beneficial relationships between species, and to elucidate the consequences of such relationships on genome evolution.

It is well known that mutualisms are not as unstable as originally thought, but the mechanisms underlying their maintenance over evolutionary times are unknown.
How does a species develop mutualistic traits? Is it by altering the sequence and/or expression of existing genes or by recruiting novel genes and/or pathways?
What are the consequences of the evolution of mutualistic life history in a species genome? How does it alter selection pressures genome-wide and at genes related to the dialog between partners? What is the genomic signature of the increased specific diversity promoted by mutualistic relationships?

I use multidisciplinary approaches, combining fieldwork in tropical regions, behavioural assays in controlled conditions, and cutting-edge wet lab techniques to tackle the most pressing issues in the global theory of cooperation and mutualism.