Phylogenomic tools (the sequencing and analysis of large genomic fractions of organisms for phylogenetic analysis) have emerged as a powerful means to elucidating phylogenetic events that were difficult to address using standard target-gene approaches. Among the toughest phylogenetic conundrums are the relationships among the molluscan classes (aplacophorans, chitons, monoplacophorans, cephalopods, bivalves, gastropods and scaphopods). The Giribet laboratory at Harvard are working in collaboration with Casey Dunn at Brown University and Nerida Wilson at Scripps Institution of Oceanography Harvar to collect expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for a selected number of molluscs in order to come up with a well supported phylogeny for the second largest animal phylum.

Faculty:
Prof. G. Giribet