University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · BiologyThe Gene Exchange Lab
Daniel Matute · Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Daniel Matute's lab focuses on understanding how different species exchange genes and how this impacts evolution. They study hybrid organisms, particularly in the context of the fruit fly Drosophila, to figure out what drives gene exchange and how it influences the creation of new species. By combining fieldwork, genetic analysis, and experimental techniques, the lab aims to unravel the complexities of evolution and its relevance to genetic diversity and human health.
introgressionspeciationhybrid zonesgenetic variationDrosophilaevolutionary geneticsgenomic factorshuman health
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the dynamics of introgressed alleles across different species over time.
AIM 02Assess how experimental hybrid populations can inform about natural hybrid populations.
AIM 03Use genetic chimeras to study the effects of introgressed alleles on phenotypes.
Skills the Lab Values
genome sequencingfield collectionsgenetic analysisdata synthesisexperimental evolutionmolecular cloningPCRchimeric organism analysisphenotypic characterization
Output against the department
Publications177top 37% of dept.385th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.8kbottom 42% of dept.595th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.