The Bracken-Grissom Laboratory is a research group directed by Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom within the Institute of Environment at Florida International University.
The lab (sometimes referred to as the CRUSTOMICS: Crustacean Genomics and Systematics Laboratory) is fundamentally interested in the evolution of marine invertebrates with an emphasis on decapod crustaceans. The lab uses morphological and molecular techniques to address questions related to the relationships, origins, biogeography, biodiversity, ecology, taxonomy, and conservation of decapod crustaceans.
The lab's main research objectives include 1) decapod phylogenetics and genomics, 2) the evolution of systems and structures (ex. bioluminescence, vision, color), and 3) the identification of key morphological traits that promote diversification and speciation within this group.
Some of the lab's research projects include:
- The Decapod Tree of Life
- Evolution of Decapod Crustaceans
- Biodiversity and Conservation in Marine Caves
- Bioluminescence and Vision in the Deep Sea
