Nauras Daraghmeh
Doctoral Student
Department of Biological & Environmental SciencesAbout Nauras Daraghmeh
Current research
My PhD studies focus on chromosomal inversions in the seaweed fly Coelopa frigida, which inhabits macroalgae accumulations (called "wrackbeds") on beaches around the northern hemisphere. As large-scale chromosomal rearrangements, inversions play a substantial role in adaptation and speciation. Using different techniques such as whole-genome sequencing, RNA- & ATAC-seq, genotyping, amplicon sequencing etc., this project will investigate...
- potential cline patterns in allelic content within inversion arrangements
- differences in allelic content within inversions between arrangements
- how chromatin accessibility and gene expression are impacted by inversions
- C. frigida genomes cross-continentally for comparative genomics
- the seasonality of wrackbed properties and Coelopa populations on Sweden's west coast, including...
- wrackbed microbiome composition
- wrackbed thermal regimes
- ratio of C. frigida versus its co-occurring sibling species C. pilipes
- inversion frequencies within C. frigida populations
Previous (and current to some extent) research
I have worked intensively in the field of marine molecular ecology using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures and DNA metabarcoding / shot-gun metagenomics to study coral reefs and temperate marine ecosystems in regards to biodiversity, inter-species networks, biogeochemistry, (meta)phylogeography, and non-indigenous species. During this time, I have gained skills specifically in the bioinformatic analysis of amplicon sequencing data (prokaryotes & eukaryotes) as well as performing fieldwork underwater.