Hi, I am Leonardo! 🐝🦗

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Montooth Lab at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where we investigate the genetic basis of wing dimorphism in field crickets to better understand the evolution of complex, multigenic traits.

Originally from Porto Alegre, Brazil, I completed my Ph.D. in 2024 at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, where I focused on mitochondrial genome evolution in bumblebees. Beyond its applications in phylogenetics and species identification, my work explored how mitochondrial DNA contributes to adaptation to different climatic niches, as well as its potential role in the evolution of social parasitism in cuckoo bumblebees.

I am passionate about integrative evolutionary biology, combining genomics, bioinformatics, and ecological data to understand how genetic and evolutionary processes shape biodiversity. My past and ongoing research spans topics such as mitonuclear ecology, molecular evolution, phylogenomics, and DNA barcoding.