#  Hopi E. Hoekstra 

Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

C.Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences

Xiaomeng Tong and Yu Chen Professor of Life Sciences

Senior Fellow of the Society of Fellows, ex officio

Not Accepting Graduate Students

 

 

 



   ![Hopi Hoekstra smiling, learning on doorway, with long hair and black shirt with white pattern](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/oeb/files/hopi_hoekstra.jpeg?itok=ByiN8Ifc) 

 



 

 email [hopi\_hoekstra@harvard.edu](mailto:hopi_hoekstra@harvard.edu) 

 laptop\_windows [Hoekstra Lab](http://hoekstra.oeb.harvard.edu/) 

 

 



 

Faculty Support: [Tracy Barbaro](https://www.oeb.harvard.edu/people/tracy-barbaro)

Our research focuses on understanding how variation is generated and maintained in natural populations. In particular, we are interested in understanding both the proximate (i.e., molecular, genetic and developmental mechanisms) and ultimate (i.e., timing, strength and agent of selection) causes of evolutionary change. Thus, much of our research focuses on identifying and characterizing the molecular changes responsible for traits that affect fitness of organisms in the wild. To this end, we use an interdisciplinary approach combining molecular techniques (ranging from next-gen sequencing and transcriptomics to cell-based pharmacological assays and in vivo viral vectors), population-genetic tests, classical genetic crosses, lab-based behavioral assays and field-based experiments. We focus primarily on natural populations of mammals in which ecological, developmental and genomic information can be combined to address questions about the evolution of morphological, behavioral and reproductive diversity.

**Recent Publications**

Mallarino R, C Henegar, M Mirasierra, MC Manceau, C Shradin, M Vallejo, S Beronja, GS Barsh and HE Hoekstra. 2016. Developmental mechanisms of stripe patterns in rodents. ***Nature*** 539:518-523.

Fisher HS, E Jacobs-Palmer, JM Lassance and HE Hoekstra. 2016. The genetic basis and fitness consequences of sperm midpiece size in deer mice. ***Nature Communications*** 7:13652.

Linne, CR, Y-P Poh, BK Peterson, RDH Barrett, JG Larson, JD Jensen and HE Hoekstra. 2013. Adaptive evolution of multiple traits through multiple mutations at a single gene. ***Science*** 339:1312-1316.

Weber JN, BK Peterson and HE Hoekstra. 2013. Discrete genetic modules are responsible for the evolution of complex burrowing behaviour in deer mice. ***Nature*** 493:402-405.

Manceau M, VS Domingues, R Mallarino and HE Hoekstra. 2011. The developmental role of Agouti in color pattern evolution. ***Science*** 331:1062-1065.

Fisher HS and HE Hoekstra. 2010*.* Competition drives cooperation among closely-related sperm of deer mice. ***Nature*** 463:801-803*.*

Linnen CR, EP Kingsley, JD Jensen and HE Hoekstra. 2009. On the origin and spread of an adaptive allele in deer mice. ***Science*** 325:1095-1098.

Hoekstra HE and JA Coyne. 2007. The locus of evolution: evo devo and the genetics of adaptation. ***Evolution*** 61:995-1016.

Hoekstra HE, RJ Hirschmann, RA Bundey, P Insel and JP Crossland. 2006. A single amino acid mutation contributes to adaptive color pattern in beach mice. ***Science*** 313:101-104.



 

 

 





 

 

- ## Building
    
     [Bio Labs](/building/bio-labs)
- ## Faculty Affiliation
    
     [Museum of Comparative Zoology](/faculty-affiliation/museum-comparative-zoology)
- ## Lab Group
    
     [Hoekstra Lab Members](/lab-group/hoekstra-lab)
- ## People
    
     [Faculty](/people/faculty) [Department Faculty](/people/department-faculty)
- ## Research Areas
    
     [Evolution](/research-areas/evolution) [Behavior](/research-areas/behavior) [Biodiversity & Systematics](/research-areas/biodiversity-and-systematics) [Evolutionary Developmental Biology](/research-areas/evolutionary-developmental-biology) [Neuroethology & Behavioral Ecology](/research-areas/neuroethology-and-behavioral-ecology) [Population & Evolutionary Genetics](/research-areas/population-and-evolutionary-genetics)
- ## Search by Last Name
    
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