Marcus Kronforst

Marcus is a Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolution and the lab PI. His research focuses on the genetics and evolution of mimicry and speciation in butterflies. He and the members of his lab apply a combination of molecular and population genetics, genomics, functional genetics, genome editing and behavioral studies to address questions regarding the evolutionary history and mechanistic basis of adaptation and speciation.

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (2004-2007).

Visiting Researcher, Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Rice University, Houston, TX (2004-2007).

Ph.D., Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (1998-2004).

B.S., Biology. University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL (1994-1998).

Appointments

Professor, Department of Ecology & & Evolution, University of Chicago (2020-present).

Associate Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago (2017-2020).

Neubauer Family Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago (2012-2017).

Bauer Fellow, FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (2007-2012).

Funding Awards

NIH R35 GM131828 (Kronforst, PI), Functional Genetics and Evolution of Supergene Mimicry in Butterflies, 09/17/19-07/31/24

NSF IOS-1922624 (Kronforst, PI), Collaborative Research: Characterizing the genetics of seasonal animal migration, 09/01/19-08/31/23

NSF IOS-1827333 (O’Connell, PI), EDGE: Developing techniques for linking genotype to phenotype in amphibians, 10/01/18-09/30/21

NSF IOS-1452648 (Kronforst, PI), CAREER: The Molecular Basis of Visual Mate Choice, 04/15/15-03/31/20

NIH R01 GM108626 (Kronforst, PI), Characterizing the Molecular Basis of Supergene Mimicry in Butterflies, 09/15/14-08/31/19

Pew Charitable Trusts (Kronforst, PI) The molecular basis of visual attraction, 08/01/15-07/31/19

US Fish & Wildlife Service (Kronforst, PI) Investigating molecular genetic and environmental contributions to monarch butterfly migration, 06/20/17-06/15/18

NSF DEB-1342790 (Kronforst, PI) Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Connecting the proximate mechanisms responsible for organismal diversity to the ultimate causes of latitudinal gradients in species richness, 01/01/14-12/31/18

NSF DEB-1020355 (Kronforst, PI) Collaborative Research: The Comparative Genetics of Wing Pattern Diversity in Mimetic Butterflies, 11/15/10-02/28/13

NIH P50GM068763 (Murray, PI) BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: GENERATION, CONTROL AND EXPLOITATION, 08/01/07-07/31/12

NSF DEB-0206613 (Kronforst, PI) The Role of Hybridization in the Evolution and Diversification of Heliconius Butterflies, 07/01/02-06/30/04