Degrees

 

B.A., Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH
M.S., Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Ph.D., Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests

 

Molecular, Population, and Evolutionary Genetics

Additional Information

 

After completing his M.S. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Vermont, Zachary Taylor worked as a researcher in the Boston-area biotechnology industry for several years before returning for his Ph.D. in Zoology. Dr. Taylor is a geneticist who teaches Developmental Biology, Genetics, Molecular Genetics, Vertebrate Biology, and laboratories for General Biology. He is interested in the many applications of molecular genetic methods, from drug development research to forensics to understanding evolutionary processes. His research projects integrate field research on vertebrates with molecular-based laboratory work in order to understand microevolutionary processes. Off-campus, he tries to keep up with his two small children, and enjoys backpacking and learning the ukulele.

 

 

Courses Taught: Developmental Biology, General Biology Lab, Genetics, Molecular Genetics, Vertebrate Zoology.

Research Interests: Genetic structure of natural animal populations. By using molecular genetic techniques including extraction, characterization, and sequencing of DNA, we can assess the impact on populations of both ancient events, such as species range expansions, and current constraints, such as habitat availability or geographical barriers.

Selected Publications & Presentations:

• Zachary S. Taylor, Philip Myers, and Susan M. G. Hoffman.  2015.  Colonization of the Lake Michigan archipelago by deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis): mtDNA evidence for multiple origins. Canadian Journal of Zoology 93(3):239-244, doi: 10.1139/cjz-2014-0234.
• Zachary S. Taylor and Susan M. G. Hoffman. 2014. Landscape models for nuclear genetic diversity and population structure in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Heredity 112: 588-595, doi:10.1038/hdy.2013.140.
• Zachary S. Taylor and Susan M. G. Hoffman. 2012. Microsatellite genetic structure and cytonuclear discordance in naturally fragmented populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Journal of Heredity 103(1):71-79, doi: 10.1093/jhered/esr100.
• Zachary S. Taylor and Susan M. G. Hoffman. 2010. Mitochondrial DNA genetic structure transcends natural boundaries in Great Lakes populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis). Canadian Journal of Zoology 88: 404–415.
• Zachary S. Taylor and Susan M. G. Hoffman.  Landscape-scale genetic variation in the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus).  Talk.  91st annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, Portland, Oregon, 2011.
• Zachary S. Taylor.  Mice get around: landscape-scale genetic variation in Great Lakes populations of Peromyscus.  Invited seminar, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky, 2011.
• Zachary S. Taylor and Susan M. G. Hoffman. Phylogeography of deer mice in northern Michigan. Talk. Meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 2009.

Employee Roles

Departments	Positions	Titles
Biological Sciences	Faculty	Professor

Back to Home