Shanshan Shen

PhD supervisors: Prof Luciano Beheregaray and A/Prof Luciana Möller and Prof Jonathan Waters

I am an evolutionary and conservation geneticist interested in understanding how genetic variation and environmental change shape biodiversity. My research interests include evolutionary genetics, conservation genomics, adaptive evolution and phenotypic variation, with a particular focus on understanding how species respond to environmental change.

I completed my MSc in Zoology at the University of Otago, where I investigated the genetic basis of plumage colour polymorphism in New Zealand blue-eyed shags (Leucocarbo spp.). By combining candidate-gene sequencing, genome-wide approaches and ecological data, my research uncovered a single MC1R mutation that consistently distinguishes bronze and pied morphs, linking a striking difference in plumage colour to contrasting aquatic environments and providing new insights into the genetic basis of adaptation in seabirds. This work strengthened my interest in the links between genotype, phenotype and adaptation, and led me to pursue research in evolutionary and conservation genetics.

I am currently undertaking a PhD within the Molecular Ecology Lab (MELFU) at Flinders University. My project investigates adaptive introgression as a mechanism for climate resilience in Australian rainbowfishes, examining whether gene flow between populations adapted to different thermal environments can enhance thermal tolerance and physiological performance under current and future climate conditions. By integrating experimental and genomic approaches, my research aims to improve our understanding of evolutionary responses to climate change and their implications for conservation.