Matthew Pollard

Background

About Matthew Pollard

I am a doctoral candidate in the Puckett Lab at the University of Memphis Department of Biological Sciences. I apply comparative genomic analyses and bioinformatic tools to identify regions of the mammalian genome associated with the evolution of traits of interest. Specifically, I have identified genomic regions associated with the convergent evolution of carnivorous diets, and I am now investigating molecular evolution associated with bears and their traits (such as embryonic diapause and hibernation). I associate these genomic regions with biological functions and gene pathways to determine how molecular changes mediate these interesting traits. Findings from my research may have relevance to human metabolic and reproductive health.I am interested in pursuing careers in the fields of comparative genomics, computational biology, and data science. I am particularly interested in opportunities to continue studying the molecular mechanisms underlying traits that may be of interest to agriculture, medicine, conservation, and beyond. I am proficient in R and bash scripting and have a good foundational knowledge of Python, with a desire to continue developing this skillset.