Research Interests
Evolutionary genetics
Speciation
Adaptation
Ecological genetics
Population genomics
Lepidoptera

I am interested in gaining a better understanding of the evolutionary forces and the underlying genetic changes that drive adaptation and speciation in natural populations. Research in my lab uses a combination of comparative genomics, phylogenetics, population genetics, laboratory crosses, field and behavioral experiments to study adaptation and speciation in Drosophila and Heliconius butterflies.

Current Research Projects
Genetic basis of adaptive color patterns in Heliconius butterflies

Evolutionary history the adaptive radiation of color patterns in Heliconius

The role of natural selection and sexual selection in maintaining species and racial boundaries in Heliconius

Sequencing of the Heliconius genome and comparative genomics on Lepidoptera

Most Current Publications:
Counterman, B. A., Arajuo-Perez, F., Hines, H. M., Baxter, S. W., Morrison, C. M.,Lindstrom, D. P., Papa, R., Ferguson, L., Joron, M., ffrench-Constant, R., Smith, C., Nielsen, D. M., Chen, R., Jiggins, C. D., Reed, R. D., Halder, G., Mallet, J. and W. O. McMillan. Genomic Hotspots for adaptation: population genetics of Mullerian mimicry in Heliconius erato. PLoS Genetics 6 (2): e1000796.

Baxter, S. W., Nadeau, N., Maroja, L., Wilkinson, P., Counterman, B. A., Dawson, A., Beltran, M., Perez-Espinoza, S., Chamberlain, N., Ferguson, L., Clark, R., Davidson, C., Glithero, R., Mallet, J., W. O. McMillan, Kronforst, M., Joron, M., ffrench-Constant, R. and C. D.Jiggins. Genomic Hotspots for adaptation: population genetics of Mullerian mimicry in the Heliconius melpomene clade. PLoS Genetics 6 (2): e1000794.

Papa, R., Morrison, C. M., Walters, J. R., Counterman, B. A., W. O. McMillan. 2008. Highly conserved gene order and numerous novel repetitive elements in genomic regions linked to wing pattern variation in Heliconius butterflies. BMC Genomics, 9:345

Ortiz-Barrientos, D., Counterman B. A., and M. A. F. Noor. 2007. Gene expression divergence and the origin of species. Genetica, 129: 71-81

Counterman, B. A., and M. A. F. Noor. 2006. Multilocus test for introgression between the cactophilic species Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae. American Naturalist, 168: 682-696