I am an Evolutionary Biologist. I study how biological diversity is generated and the mechanisms that promote repeated adaptations. To document and describe biodiversity, I aim to identify genomic regions linked to unique and reappearing traits. Mammals, especially bats, are my model system, and I also collaborate on projects to address evolutionary questions from a genomic and morphometric perspective in other remarkable organisms.
cations for disease resistance and human health.
In this website you will find information about my research interests, projects and academic background.
Highlights: Manuscripts you should check out
Unbiased genomic screen provides the first clear genomic evidence that bats evolved a special immune system since early origins
Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance. Nature, 2025. Press Coverage.
Bat pluripotent stem cells reveal unusual entanglement between host and viruses. Cell, 2023. Press coverage by Science News.
(Photo credit: MerlinTuttle.org)
Myotis bats: a model system to study convergent evolution and speciation with gene flow
Distinct Genes with Similar Functions Underlie Convergent Evolution in Myotis Bat Ecomorphs. Featured on the cover of MBE.
Diversification rates have no effect on the convergent evolution of foraging strategies in the most speciose genus of bats, Myotis. Digest featuring the emerging model system.
Speciation with Gene Flow in North American Myotis Bats. Example 1 & Example 2.
High dispersal and gene flow can maintain species cohesion across diverse environments, Tadarida brasiliensis is an example.
- May 2026:
- A new chapter is taking shape. The Morales Lab is coming soon. Stay tuned for updates!
- Paper resubmitted for review to Nature: “Reference genomes and fossils rewrite bat family-level phylogeny and global biogeography.” Thanks (again) to the fantastic Bat1K 21 Families Group.
- A new chapter is taking shape. The Morales Lab is coming soon. Stay tuned for updates!
- February–April 2026: Months of intense travel and exciting new collaborations.
- January 2026:
- Happy New Year!
- Paper submitted for review to Nature: “Reference genomes and fossils rewrite bat family-level phylogeny and global biogeography.” Thanks to the fantastic Bat1K 21 Families Group.
- Paper submitted for review to Science: “Integrated genomics and transcriptomics reveal mechanisms of extreme dietary adaptation in vampire bats.” Thanks to the amazing collaborators, especially to Shenglin Liu and Michael Hiller.
- From 2025, still very proud!
- Nature paper online!
“Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance.” 
- Nature paper online!
- October 2025: Talk on “Resolving Difficult Nodes in the Bat Phylogeny Using 103 Chromosome-Level Genomes” at Understanding Life: Using Largescale Biodiversity Reference Genomes, Wellcome Genome Campus, UK.
- August 2025: Talk on “Resolving Difficult Nodes in the Bat Phylogeny Using 103 Chromosome-Level Genomes” at ESEB Barcelona, Spain.
- July 2025: Paper on how the repurposing of a conserved gene programme is linked to bat wing development published at Nature E&E. Congrats to the fantastic team of coauthors!
- March & May 2025: Missed fieldwork in Trinidad and Belize due to delays with visa-related paperwork :/
- February 2025: Talk at Verena Consortium about the genomic adaptations of bats linked to viral tolerance.
- January 2025:
- Nature paper online! “Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance.”
- Bonjour France! I am happy to join the University of Montpellier and ISEM.
- Nature paper online!
- December 2024: Good bye (auf Wiedersehen) Germany and Hiller Lab.
- November 2024: Paper accepted for publication in Nature !!! (link to publication will be added soon-ish)
- October 2024:
- Talk at the symposium “Liberating, linking, and leveraging bat data for research and conservation” at NASBR in Guadalajara, Mexico.
- Flash talk about our flagship paper at Bat1K Symposium at NASBR – Info and discussions on how to use >100 bat genomes.
- Paper featured on the cover of MBE.
- September 2024:
- Talk & poster at 16th European Bat Research Symposium, EBRS24, Tarragon, Spain.
- Co-hosting Bat1K Symposium at EBRS24 – Info and discussions on how to use >100 bat genomes.
- Seminar at ISEM, Montpellier, France.
- August 2024: Paper on the genomic basis of convergent evolution of Myotis bat ecomorphs out in MBE! 😉
- July 2024: Our symposium “Convergent Evolution in Natural Experiments” was a success, and we had amazing guests! Watch the recordings here & here (YouTube channel from the 3rd Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology in Montreal, Canada
- May 2024: GBatNet meeting in Houston, USA – representing BigBatDB working group.
- April 2024: Bat immunity ms resubmitted (preprint not updated yet).
- March 2024:
- Talk at Uni Trier, Germany.
- Talk at AMNH (American Museum of Natural History) in NYC, USA.
- Convergent evolution ms resubmitted!
- November 2023: Symposium proposal accepted for the 3rd Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology in Montreal, Canada – Watch out for “Convergent Evolution in Natural Experiments“
- September 2023: Talk & poster at EMBO Evolution of Animal Genomes, Sevilla, Spain.
- September 2023: Grant awarded by Goethe Uni!
- July 2023: Poster at SMBE Ferrara, Italy.
- June 2023: Talk at Senckenberg Biodiversity Genomics Symposium, online.