Lenny Yong

Broadly, I am an evolutionary biologist who has long been captivated by the remarkable biodiversity that surrounds us. My curiosity to answer fundamental questions, such as ‘how and why do organisms/species look so different and yet similar at times?’, motivated my scientific interest on the molecular and genetic mechanisms responsible for phenotypic adaptation and differences, including those observed between males and females. I have tackled such questions by studying the amazing biodiversity of fishes—the most species-rich vertebrates on Earth. My career path in science has luckily been filled with rich international experiences, during which I learned enormously about different sciences, views and cultures. As a professor, my hope is to instill in students an appreciation for biological and genetic variation through teaching and mentorship. 

Research 

Animal coloration is a stunning biological trait that is widespread across taxa; is critical to the success and survival of organisms; and is highly variable among and within species, notably between males and females. To understand how color patterns are generated and evolve at the genetic and cellular levels, our research primarily capitalizes on the natural color variation of an evolutionarily important fish, threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), which enables us to investigate the proximate causes and ultimate consequences of evolutionary change. Our other research interests include behavioral and genomic evolution. We use a multidisciplinary approach that integrates fieldwork, color phenotyping technologies, molecular ecology, genomics and functional genetics, providing amazing learning opportunities and practical skills to students. Excitingly, the molecular mechanisms we study are important to human health, e.g., pigment-related diseases (melanomas), making findings about the molecular properties of fish coloration far-reaching for biomedicine. Equally, many of these phenotypic traits and their underlying genetics respond to anthropogenic disturbances, e.g., pollution and habitat fragmentation, which has conservation implications, including understanding adaptive potential and resilience in the wild.