H. Frederik Nijhout

Fred Nijhout studies the development and evolution of complex traits.  His clever experimental approach and skill at unraveling the logic of complex pathways and gene networks helped usher the butterfly wing to center stage in modern developmental and evolutionary biology.  His empirical work explores the interactions between genes and environments during insect development, and his book “Insect Hormones” (Princeton Press) is required reading in this field.  Fred is also an exceptional quantitative biologist, and models gene-environment interactions in complex, medically relevant metabolic networks, (e.g. folate metabolism, insulin/TOR signaling), and uses these models to study the effects of mutation and selection.