Current Lab Members

Sarah P. Flanagan

Dr. Sarah Flanagan is a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Biology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, USA in 2011. In 2016 she completed her PhD in Biology with Adam Jones at Texas A&M University, and then was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Sarah’s research focuses on the evolution of complex traits and how selection interacts with the genome. The lab’s research activities fall into two major categories: (1) understanding how sexual selection acts on traits and shapes mating systems and (2) investigating the genomic basis of traits, including the signature selection leaves on the genome. Read more about Sarah on her personal website, where she maintains a blog.

Coley Tosto

Coley Tosto has completed a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences investigating the role sexual selection pressures have in sex-biased gene expression using pipefish as a model system. Her overall research interests surround the evolution of different mating systems and all the factors that are involved in shaping them. She is working in collaboration with Heather Masonjones and Emily Rose. Coley has stayed on at UC while awaiting graduation in a short-term research associate role and gaining experience teaching.





Emily Beasley

Emily is using three Stigmatopora species of pipefish to investigate the role of sexual selection in the evolution of sex-biased gene expression. Emily earned her undergraduate honours degree from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2015. In 2018, she completed her MSc by Research at Middlesex University in London, England. Her current research interests include bioinformatics, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, and behavioural ecology. Emily is co-supervised by Prof. Elissa Cameron (University of Canterbury) and Prof. Bob Wong (Monash University). Email: emily.beasley@pg.canterbury.ac.nz


Alexandra Cox

Alexandra is a PhD student co-supervised by Sarah and Dr Claudia Meisrimler. Alexanda completed her MSc thesis, supported by the Bioprotection Aotearoa Center of Research Excellence, on similar topics to her PhD, and she is now funded by Food Transitions 2050. Her work focuses on the parasitic oomycete, Phytophthora cinnamomi and identifying the genes responsible for its pathogenicity. By annotating the genome of P. cinnamomi, Alexandra’s work will contribute to a larger effort in developing counter measures against this invasive species. Her main research interests are bioinformatics, molecular genetics, plant biology and conservation.




Juan Lee

Juan is a PhD student working on pipefish taxonomy, phylogeography, and population genetics. His MSc work in South Korea focused on behaviour and developmental biology, and he is exciting to be working on syngnathid genetics for his PhD.




Georgia Gwatkin

Georgia Gwatkin is currently pursuing a MSc in Biological Sciences, co-supervised by Dr. Sarah Flanagan and Dr. Michelle LaRue. Georgia’s research focuses on investigating the terrestrial habitat preferences and intra-seasonal movements of little penguins/kororā at Flea Bay/Pōhatu, working in collaboration with the Helps Pōhatu Conservation Trust. Her research interests include conservation biology, spatial ecology, and behavioural ecology.

Xaver Bartels

Xaver Bartels is an MSc student at the University of Amsterdam who is visiting the Flanagan lab for 8 months for his internship. He is studying courtship behaviours in pipefish. Specifically, Xaver is testing whether male pipefish prefer larger females or smaller females in Stigmatopora nigra.

Sophie Shannon

Sophie is doing her BSc (Hons) with Dr Daniel Stouffer, Professor Mike Plank, and Sarah. She is evaluating how different models of tree growth and mortality impact predictions of forest size that are important for estimating the amount of carbon sequestered by that stand of trees – which directly impacts estimates of carbon offsetting by tree planting.