Research in the Neotropical Toxins Lab is focused on studying the evolution and ecology of venomous and poisonous animals, including their toxins. Specifically, we aim to discover patterns and processes of diversification in relatively unexplored parts of the megabiodiverse Neotropical region (e.g., the Andes).

Together with collaborators and students, we use toxic animals to answer questions focused on 1) identifying such patterns and processes in this biogeographic region, 2) understanding the evolutionary ecology of toxin-mediated interactions, and 3) exploring their enormous toxinological diversity. In this context, we collect and analyze genomic, proteomic, transcriptomic, and toxicological data that allow us to infer evolutionary histories of populations and species, help in the conservation of threatened species, as well as understand the causes and consequences of the structural and functional diversity of toxins present in these fascinating organisms.

Our lab is part of the Centre for Biodiversity and Climate Change Research (BioCamb) at Universidad Indoamérica, Quito, Ecuador.