Shawn McCafferty
Assistant Professor of Biology
Office: Science Center, Rm 231
Phone: (508)-286-5642
Email: smccaffe@wheatoncollege.edu
Degrees
Ph.D., SUNY Stony Brook, Department of Ecology and Evolution
M.Sc., SUNY Stony Brook, Marine Science Research Center
B.S., North Carolina State University
Main Interests
My primary field of interest in science falls under the broad heading of Evolutionary Biology. Though I am fascinated to most aspects of the field, my principal areas of expertise lay in molecular evolution, phylogenetic systematics, and population genetics. In particular, my research revolves around the construction of phylogenetic trees using DNA sequence data and the insights these trees provide when studying evolutionary processes. I have worked on various projects addressing all sorts of different questions from a very broad cross section of life, from bacteria to humans. However, I admit to having a bias towards marine and freshawater organisms. I also have a strong interest in the evolution of neotropical species and tropical ecology. Below is a brief summary of my research interests.
Research Interests
Systematics and phylogeography of coral reef fishes
Phylogeography of neotropical freshwater fishes
Role of natural selection in driving patterns of molecular diversity
Application of systematics and population genetics to conservation biology
Teaching Interests
Evolution and Ecology (BIO111)
Evolution (BIO303)
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIO316)
Molecular Ecology and Evolution (BIO317)
Tropical Field Biology (BIO318)
Other Interests
Most of my spare time is spent with my family. However, I try to fit in some time for personal interests, which include Aikido and jujutsu, running, biking, and SCUBA diving.
Student Projects
There are a number of research projects in my lab that students work on. Some current projects include:
MHC variation in stranded marine mammals and its correlation to disease.
Microsatellite development in the vernal pool fairy shrimp Eubranchipus vernalis.
Multiple paternity in the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias.
MHC variation and its implications in conservation biology: characterization and variation
in the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) and spotted salamander
(Ambystoma maculatus).
If you are interested in working in my lab, or have a particular projec you want to pursue, by all means come by. Below is a list of previous student collaborators and thier projects.
Ashley Jennings ('07) - Multiple paternity in the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias. (Bio499 Spring 2006)
Erin Allgood ('07) - Genetic variation in the invasive watermilfoil Myriophyllum spicatum. (Bio499 Spring 2006)
Robert Borkowski ('06) - The diversity of sulfate reducing bacteria in Boston Harbor. (Bio499 Fall 2005 and Spring 2006)
Roxana Mesias ('06) - Subcloning of the leucine rich extracellular domain of the human toll-like receptor 4 gene into the pET23b expression plasmid. (Bio499, Fall 2005)
Liz Jacques ('05) - Finding genetic markers for population genetic analysis of Malaclemys terrapin. (Bio500 Fall 2004 and Spring 2005; Committee Member)
Maris Madeira ('05) - Spatial variation in the introduced asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguenensis along the east coast of the U.S. (Bio499 Fall 2004 and Spring 2006)
Chris Wilbur ('05) - Phylogeography of the fairy shrimp Eubranchipus vernalis in Massachusetts vernal pools. (Bio499 Fall 2004 and Spring 2005)
Nick Warren ('04) - Spatial variation in fairy shrimp populations at differing geographic scales. (Bio499, Fall 2003 and Spring 2004)
Selected Publications, Creative Work or Performances
Morris, R.L., M.P. Hoffman, R.A. Obar, S.S. McCafferty, I.R. Gibbons, A.D. Leone, J. Cool, E.L. Allgood, A.M. Musante, K.M. Judkins, B.J. Rossetti, A.P. Rawson, and D.R. Burgess. 2006. Analysis of cytoskeletal and motility proteins in the sea urchin genome assembly. Develomental Biology, 300: 219-237.
Sea Urchin Genome Sequencing Consortium. 2006. The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Science, 314: 941-952.
McCafferty S, Bermingham E, Quenouille B, Planes S, Hoelzer G, Asoh K. 2002. Historical biogeography and molecular systematics of the Indo-Pacific genus Dascyllus (Teleostei: Pomacentridae). Molecular Ecology, 11:1377-92
Banford HM, Bermingham E, Collette B, and McCafferty S. 1999. Phylogenetic systematics of the Scomberomorus regalis (Teleostei: Scombridae) species group: molecules, morphology and biogeography of Spanish Mackerels. Copeia, 1999(3): 596?613.
Bermingham, E., S. McCafferty and A. Martin. 1997. Fish biogeography and molecular clocks: perspectives from the Panamanian Isthmus. Pp . 113-138. In Kocher, T.D. and C. Stepien (eds). Molecular Systematics of Fishes. Academic Press, NY.