My research focuses on the role of genetic variation for the persistence of individuals, populations and species. I am particularly interested in the significance of inbreeding and practical measures for mitigating this. Furthermore, I focus on the genetic basis of local adaptation and the potential for adaptive responses to ongoing climate change. Finally, I have a long-standing interest in speciation and hybridization. Analysis of variation at the level of genomes plays a major role in my research. I have particularly focused on fishes, including anguillid eels, brown trout, Arctic char, three-spine stickleback, but also invasive freshwater mussels (zebra and quagga mussels), birds, insects and mammals including feral horses, wolves and others.
I am a core member of the Centre of Excellence Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO).
I am the course responsible and main teacher of the course Conservation Genetics and Molecular Ecology and contribute to other courses, such as Global Change Biology.