Sitemap
A list of all the posts and pages found on the site. For you robots out there, there is an XML version available for digesting as well.
Pages
Posts
Future Blog Post
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Blog Post number 4
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Blog Post number 3
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Blog Post number 2
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Blog Post number 1
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portfolio
Diversity in Wild Cotton Populations
Exploring the genetic diversity of wild cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) populations, this project aims to characterize the true distribution of wild cotton, resolve genetic relationships between wild and domesticated forms, and infer domestication history. It also evaluates the potential of wild genetic resources for sustainable crop improvement. Combining fieldwork with genomic analyses, this work highlights cotton in its natural habitat and the insights it provides for both conservation and agriculture.
Genomic conservation of Aquilaria sinensis in Hong Kong
Aquilaria sinensis (incense tree) is known for producing agarwood, a highly valuable fragrant resinous heartwood that forms when the tree is wounded or infected, and is widely used in incense, perfumes, and traditional medicine. This high commercial value has led to intense illegal harvesting, alongside habitat loss and long-term overexploitation, making the species endangered in the wild. Using genome resequencing data, this project investigates the genetic diversity of wild A. sinensis populations in Hong Kong, aiming to resolve population structure, assess genetic variation, and inform conservation strategies for this protected species.
Origins and Diversification of New Zealand Polyploid Genus Azorella
This project investigates how polyploidization drives species diversification in New Zealand’s unique alpine flora, using Azorella (Apiaceae) as a model system. Azorella in New Zealand exhibits multiple ploidy levels (4x, 6x, and 10x), making it an excellent system for studying successive rounds of whole-genome duplication and the resulting reticulate evolutionary histories in polyploid plants. Using phylogenomic approaches based on Hyb-Seq (Angiosperms353) and genome-skimming data, this study resolves species relationships, infers the origins of higher-level polyploids, and reconstructs the biogeographic history of New Zealand Azorella. Results suggest multiple independent colonization events from South America, followed by diversification shaped by polyploidy, hybridization, and introgression across New Zealand, Australia, and subantarctic regions.
Phenotypic comparison of high-altitude African accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana
African populations of Arabidopsis thaliana harbor high levels of genetic variation, providing a powerful system for studying local adaptation. By comparing A. thaliana accessions collected from different alpine mountain environments, this work investigates patterns of parallel evolution in alpine-adaptive traits and links phenotypic divergence to underlying genetic variation across environmental gradients.
Transcriptome comparison of altitudinally adapted Arabidopsis lyrata populations
Local adaptation can be understood through phenotypic and genomic variation, where gene expression provides a key link between genotype and environment. Using a reciprocal transplant experiment in Arabidopsis lyrata, this study compares transcriptomes across populations and environments to assess expression divergence, identify differentially expressed genes, and infer biological functions associated with local adaptation across contrasting alpine sites in Norway.
publications
McLay, T. G., Birch, J. L., Gunn, B. F., Ning, W., Tate, J. A., Nauheimer, L., … & Jackson, C. J. (2021). New targets acquired: Improving locus recovery from the Angiosperms353 probe set. Applications in Plant Sciences, 9(7), e11420. Download Paper
Hämälä, T., Ning, W., Kuittinen, H., Aryamanesh, N., & Savolainen, O. (2022). Environmental response in gene expression and DNA methylation reveals factors influencing the adaptive potential of Arabidopsis lyrata. eLife, 11:e83115. Download Paper
Ning, W., Meudt, H. M., & Tate, J. A. (2024). A roadmap of phylogenomic methods for studying polyploid plant genera. Applications in Plant Sciences, e11580. Download Paper
Ning, W., Rogers, K. M., Hsu, C. Y., Magbanua, Z. V., Pechanova, O., Arick, M. A., … Grover, C. E., & Wendel, J. F. (2024). Origin and diversity of the wild cottons (Gossypium hirsutum) of Mound Key, Florida. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 14046. Download Paper
Meudt, H. M., Pearson, S. M., Ning, W., Prebble, J. M., & Tate, J. A. (2025). Forget-me-not phylogenomics: Improving the resolution and taxonomy of a rapid island and mountain radiation in Aotearoa New Zealand (Myosotis; Boraginaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 204, 108250. Download Paper
Ning, W., Meudt, H. M., Nicolas, A. N., Plunkett, G. M., Heenan, P. B., Lee, W. G., & Tate, J. A. (2025). Resolving reticulate evolutionary histories of polyploid species of Azorella (Apiaceae) endemic to New Zealand. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 108469. Download Paper
Ning, W., Hu, G., Yuan, D., Arick, M. A., Hsu, C. Y., Magbanua, Z. V., … & Wendel, J. F. (2026). Comparative population genomics of relictual Caribbean island Gossypium hirsutum. Molecular Ecology, 35(2), e70239. Download Paper
Ning, W., Kayal, E., Wendel, J. F., Hsu, C. Y., Magbanua, Z. V., Pechanova, O., … & Grover, C. E. (2026). Population genomics informs conservation strategies for critically endangered Kokia species in Hawaiʻi. Ecology and Evolution, 16(4), e73104. Download Paper
Ning, W., Arick, M. A., Udall, J. A., Hsu, C. Y., Abdala-Roberts, L., Solís-Rodríguez, U., … & Wendel, J. F. (2026). Genomic diversity and the domestication history of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 123(21), e2607107123. Download Paper
talks
Talk 1 on Relevant Topic in Your Field
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Conference Proceeding talk 3 on Relevant Topic in Your Field
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This is a description of your conference proceedings talk, note the different field in type. You can put anything in this field.
teaching
Student Mentor
A list of students I have mentored and supported during my research activities.
Undergraduate course
A list of undergraduate courses I have taught or contributed to as a guest lecturer at different universities.
Postgraduate course
A list of postgraduate courses I have taught or contributed to as a guest lecturer at different universities.