Dr. Daniel Wright
Research Profile
Research Areas:
- Evolutionary genetics
- Ichthyology
- Phenotype to genotype mapping
Techniques:
- Bioinformatics
- Integrated omics
- AI analytics
Research Statement:
Some fish live in water that is below freezing. Others move between fresh and salt water, or survive being battered by waves and stranded at low tide. My research asks how evolution makes this possible: how are they able to thrive in extreme environments?
My research is focused on understanding how species (typically fishes) adapt to extreme environments at the genetic level. To date, I have studied fish that endure the constant disturbance of the intertidal zone, adapt to the osmotic demands of a euryhaline life history (transition between fresh and salt water), and how the kidney of cods responds to the production antifreeze during the polar winter.
My work is largely computational. I use comparative genomics to compare the genomes of many species to identify candidate genes responsible for these adaptations. I then compare those candidates against gene expression (RNA) and chromatin accessibility (ATAC) datasets looking for overlapping signals of their role in the phenotype of interest. All of these analyses run on NC State’s high-performance computing cluster.
Currently, I am testing a new generation of AI tools against traditional analytical pipelines to see whether they can find genetic signals faster or more accurately. The answers matter well beyond fish, with applications in evolutionary biology, molecular ecology, conservation, and even biomedical research.
As an undergraduate researcher working with me, you will:
- Run and customize real genomic analysis pipelines on a supercomputer
- Apply cutting-edge AI tools to biological data
- Help uncover the genetic basis of adaptation in wild animals
Get to know Dr. Wright:
What is your research area and why are you passionate about it?
My research portfolio is focused on the molecular basis for adaptation in fishes that live in extreme environments. Broadly, I have investigated local adaptation to temperature and habitat in intertidal fishes, circadian rhythms in polar fishes, and kidney adaptation to transitions between salt and freshwater (euryhaline fishes), and antifreeze production (polar cods). My research is computationally intensive and applies bioinformatic tools to map genomic (DNA) and gene expression (RNA) variation to phenotypic traits. My current focus is assessing emerging AI bioinformatic tools and, where they are superior to conventional software, applying them to my research. The results generated from my research portfolio have relevance to systematics, population ecology, molecular biology, and biomedical research. My passions are many, but I have been fortunate to work with aquatic species throughout my career. I have always loved trips to the ocean, lakes, and streams of NC so fishes are a perfect study organism.
What do you like most about research?
I love the juxtaposition of using microscopic molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins) to address macro-scale phenomena (adaptation and speciation). I am excited and amazed every time I find patterns in genomic sequence or gene expression data that correlate with differences between populations. I also enjoy the journey of completing a research project, which invariably presents twists and turns often leading to a very different outcome than I originally anticipated. All the moments of discovery along the way are exciting and keep me energized for the next project.
How would you describe your mentoring style?
My mentoring style is flexible and tailored to the needs of whomever I am mentoring. I value face-to-face interactions and I am always available for questions and to provide guidance. I encourage students to take ownership of the research and provide space for them to explore their own areas of interest. Research can be challenging so I try and keep a light approach and have fun with it!
What is one piece of advice that you would give to students beginning research?
Try to be open to areas of research that you perhaps haven’t considered before. When you are just starting out it is most important to gain experience and any research project will provide you with that. It is best to start with a broad base of experiences early in your career, then focus on the areas that interest you most.