Members
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Chloe Nash
Postdoctoral Scholar
Email: Email
I am an evolutionary biologist, with a focus on coral reef fishes. My research interests are on the integration of phylogenetics, assemblage patterns, morphological and ecological trait variation, and biomechanical potential of coral reef fish feeding modes to examine the evolutionary drivers of current species’ distributions and community compositions. I completed a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Wesleyan University and a PhD with the Committee of Evolutionary Biology (CEB) at the University of Chicago. The overarching goal of my PhD thesis was to explore the phylogenetics, evolution, and biogeography of the goatfishes (Family Mullidae), with a focus on their unique foraging behavior associated with substrate preferences and barbel use. To accomplish this, I inferred a comprehensive phylogeny using phylogenomics, examined global assemblage patterns using occurrence data, and assessed ecomorphological relationships between body and fin morphology with habitat use across the goatfishes. In my postdoctoral position in the Marine Macroevolution Unit at OIST, I plan to expand my research into the examination of population connectivity of diverse species, i.e. representatives of clades with variable modes of dispersal and life history traits, across the Ryukyus. In particular, I aim to test hypotheses about the morphological and life history traits associated with home range size, dispersal, habitat use, and population connectivity. The goal of this work is to identify informative traits that can be used to better predict dispersal potential across extant and fossil lineages. In my free time, I enjoy fish watching, cuddling with cats, and finding new cafes to try.
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Samuel Coatham
Postdoctoral Scholar
Email: Email
I am a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, focusing on locomotory biomechanics. I am primarily interested in associations between form and function, particularly the recurrent evolution of specific morphologies in distantly related taxa. During my PhD at the University of Manchester, I investigated the locomotory biomechanics underlying the land-water transition in ancient whales. This included volumetric reconstruction, muscle moment arm analyses and hydrodynamic simulations of a variety of legged whales spanning the aquatic transition. Results were compared with other secondarily aquatic mammal groups - primarily mustelids and rodents - to evaluate the extent to which these separate transitions were convergent. Prior to that, as an MSc student at the University of Bristol I researched the most likely feeding strategy for the giant placoderm Titanichthys using finite element analysis. As a Postdoctoral Scholar at OIST, I plan to research the swimming hydrodynamics of fish. Using computational fluid dynamics and flume tank experiments, I am aiming to evaluate the hydrodynamic function of unique physical structures from the fish fossil record, which may then be investigated for potential biomimetic purposes. Away from work, I am passionate about diving, hiking, football and cinema.
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Daohan Jiang
Postdoctoral Scholar
Email: Email
As a theoretical evolutionary biologist, I am broadly interested in the evolution of complex traits and seek to understand the origin of phenotypic diversity among organisms using quantitative approaches. I did my PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) at the University of Michigan, during which time I leveraged large-scale genomic and phenomic data to test the role of adaptive and non-adaptive processes in the evolution of various types of phenotypic traits, ranging from gene expression to morphological characteristics. After finishing my PhD in 2022, I conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Southern California and started to work more on theoretical models. At OIST, I am continuing and extending this line of research, focusing specifically on the evolution of developmental processes underlying evolutionary novelties.
In my spare time, I am into anime, kaiju, and gunpla.
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Nanako Okabe
PhD Student
Email: Email
At university I worked on the wounding mechanisms of giant unicellular green algae. However, the unique appearance and diversity of the jawless fish that inhabited the Silurian to Devonian periods attracted me, then I am studying as a lab rotation student in this unit. How did the jawless fish that established kingdoms at that time feed? Did they compete with jawed fish? How did feeding traits influence the evolution of fish? I am excited by the possibilities in this field, including research using big data acquired from fossils and 3D models. I used to live on another small island in Japan so I love life in Okinawa. On weekends, I enjoy skin diving, watching baseball games and exploring izakaya!
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Marcus Bartholomew
Research Intern
Email: Email
I am from Cambridge Massachusetts and am completing my MS in Marine Science at Northeastern University through the Three Seas Program. I completed my BS in Biology at Brown University and worked with video data to analyze predator presence, and the feeding patterns, abundances, and cleaning interactions of reef fish in the Galápagos Islands. In my master's program I have been able to do scientific diving in Nahant Massachusetts, Bocas Del Toro Panamá, and Friday Harbor Washington. I am interested in studying mesophotic reef ecology, and I am passionate about field research, scientific diving, and snorkeling. I am eager to expand and learn new lab skills at OIST and explore Okinawa! When not at work I like diving, making pottery, dancing, and playing card games.
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Mia Patricia Balis
Research Intern
Email: Email
I am from Switzerland and am currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree in marine biology at Northeastern University. I have previously worked in projects on seagrass and spartina ecology in the salt marshes of Massachusetts comparing fitness among different populations. I am interested in many aspects of marine biology, including fish mating behavior and trait evolution. I’m excited to learn about fish diversity of the Ryukyu Islands and gain field experience at OIST! I like to spend my free time drawing, visiting art museums and scuba diving.
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Makiko Ajimura
Research Unit Administrator(RUA)
Email: Email
I am originally from Osaka. My duties are to provide administrative support to enable the unit to function smoothly and effectively. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to work closely with marine science as an RUA and contribute to developing the Okinawan economy as a part of the OIST community. I love diving, traveling, the ocean, and of course, Okinawa! I especially love to watch the school of fish, then stealthily join them. My other favorites are cats, plants, and collecting the straw baskets.
Alumni
- Peter Reynolds (Research Intern)
- Diala Edde (Research Intern)
- Sam Fisher (Research Intern)
- Jan Zimmermann (Research Intern)
- Carolin Grether (Research Intern)
- Adam Asmat (Research Intern)
- Johannes "Nico" Wibisana (Rotation Student/Honorary Member)
- Isaac Trindade-Santos (Postdoc)
- Tai Kubo (Staff Scientist)
- Maria Lucia Reyes Suarez (Research Intern)
- Genki Togawa (Research Intern)
- Yuxin Liu (Research Intern)
- Chihiro Kushida (Research Intern)
- Makenna King (Research Intern)
- Ian Christopher Johnson(Rotation Student)
- Dominik Kopcak(Rotation Student)
- Wahei Hagiwara (Research Intern)
- Towa Sebastian Ota (Research Intern)
- Sophia Pierucci (Research Intern)
- Rikako Ozaki (Research Intern)
- Hana Yuki (Research Intern)
- Leighna Amelie Sugimoto (Research Intern)