Education: 

• PhD, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona (2022-present)
• MSc, Geosciences, University of Witwatersrand (2020-2021)
• BSc Honors, Genetics, University of Pretoria (2018)
• BSc, Human Genetics, University of Pretoria (2014-2017)

Research Interests: 

I am interested in co-option of conflict mediation mechanisms across evolutionary transitions in individuality. My research project is to investigate the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the co-option of reg cluster genes from unicellular Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to differentiated, multicellular Volvox carteri.

Publications: 

• La, S.R., Ndhlovu, A. & Durand, P.M. The Ancient Origins of Death Domains Support the ‘Original Sin’ Hypothesis for the Evolution of Programmed Cell Death. J Mol Evol 90, 95–113 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-021-10044-y