RESEARCH

Our research is focused on investigation of the diversity, evolution, and ecology of microbial eukaryotes, aka the protists (i.e. eukaryotes that are not animals, fungi, or plants). Oddly enough, animals, fungi, and plants represent a minority in the real diversity of evolutionary lineages of eukaryotes. Most eukaryotes are unicellular and only unicellular forms existed during the most of eukaryotic evolution. Assessment of their diversity, features of their biology and ecology are extremely important for a deeper understanding of the role of these tiny organisms in the functional organization of natural ecosystems.