Adam Leaché Research Group

University of Washington

How do genomic datasets and analytical methods reveal species boundaries and evolutionary relationships in reptiles and amphibians? The Leaché Lab uses genome-scale SNP and sequence-capture data to infer phylogenies and test competing tree-building approaches across herpetological groups. Researchers develop and validate species delimitation and phylogeographic methods through simulations, analytical tool development, and bioinformatics pipelines to assess lineage divergence. The group integrates field-collected samples with Burke Museum specimens and genetic resources to link contemporary populations with historical material for temporal biodiversity studies. The lab applies genomic workflows and computational frameworks to clarify taxonomic trends and evaluate gene flow in species-tree estimation.