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Professor Mark Blows
Professor

Mark Blows

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 57277

Overview

Background

My research interests are in evolutionary quantitative genetics. Much of my research involves developing multivariate statistical approaches to the analysis of the genetic basis of complex traits, and the selection acting upon them, which are then applied to questions in statistical genetics and evolutionary biology. Many of the empirical studies I conduct use the Australian native model system Drosophila serrata.

Availability

Professor Mark Blows is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University

Works

Search Professor Mark Blows’s works on UQ eSpace

117 works between 1991 and 2023

61 - 80 of 117 works

2008

Journal Article

Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded

Frentiu, F., Clegg, S.M., Chittock, J., Burke, T., Blows, M. W. and Owens, I.P.F. (2008). Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 275 (1635), 639-647. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1032

Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded

2007

Journal Article

Male choice generates stabilizing sexual selection on a female fecundity correlate

Chenoweth, S. F., Petfield, D., Doughty, P. and Blows, M. W. (2007). Male choice generates stabilizing sexual selection on a female fecundity correlate. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 20 (5), 1745-1750. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2007.01390.x

Male choice generates stabilizing sexual selection on a female fecundity correlate

2007

Journal Article

Natural genetic variation in cuticular hydrocarbon expression in male and female Drosophila melanogaster

Foley, B., Chenoweth, S. F., Nuzhdin, S. V. and Blows, M. W. (2007). Natural genetic variation in cuticular hydrocarbon expression in male and female Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, 175 (3), 1465-1477. doi: 10.1534/genetics.106.065771

Natural genetic variation in cuticular hydrocarbon expression in male and female Drosophila melanogaster

2007

Journal Article

Reconciling strong stabilizing selection with the maintenance of genetic variation in a natural population of black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus)

Hunt, J., Blows, M. W., Zajitschek, F., Jennionos, M. D. and Brooks, R. (2007). Reconciling strong stabilizing selection with the maintenance of genetic variation in a natural population of black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus). Genetics, 177 (2), 875-880. doi: 10.1534/genetics.107.077057

Reconciling strong stabilizing selection with the maintenance of genetic variation in a natural population of black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus)

2007

Journal Article

Large body size in an island-dwelling bird: A microevolutionary analysis

Frentiu, F. D., Clegg, S. M., Blows, M. W. and Owens, I. P. F. (2007). Large body size in an island-dwelling bird: A microevolutionary analysis. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 20 (2), 639-649. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01242.x

Large body size in an island-dwelling bird: A microevolutionary analysis

2007

Journal Article

Genetic mechanisms of pollution resistance in a marine invertebrate

Galletly, B. C., Blows, M. W. and Marshall, D. J. (2007). Genetic mechanisms of pollution resistance in a marine invertebrate. Ecological Applications, 17 (8), 2290-2297. doi: 10.1890/06-2079.1

Genetic mechanisms of pollution resistance in a marine invertebrate

2007

Journal Article

Are traits that experience reinforcement also under sexual selection?

Higgie, M. and Blows, M. W. (2007). Are traits that experience reinforcement also under sexual selection?. American Naturalist, 170 (3), 409-420. doi: 10.1086/519401

Are traits that experience reinforcement also under sexual selection?

2007

Journal Article

A tale of two matrices: Multivariate approaches in evolutionary biology

Blows, M. W. (2007). A tale of two matrices: Multivariate approaches in evolutionary biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 20 (1), 1-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01164.x

A tale of two matrices: Multivariate approaches in evolutionary biology

2007

Journal Article

The phenotypic and genetic covariance structure of drosphilid wings

McGuigan, K. and Blows, M. W. (2007). The phenotypic and genetic covariance structure of drosphilid wings. Evolution, 61 (4), 902-911. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00078.x

The phenotypic and genetic covariance structure of drosphilid wings

2007

Journal Article

Predicting the age of mosquitoes using transcriptional profiles

Cook, P. E., Hugo, L. E., Iturbe-Ormaetxe, I., Williams, C. R., Chenoweth, S. F., Ritchie, S. A., Ryan, P. A., Kay, B. H., Blows, M. W. and O'Neill, S. L. (2007). Predicting the age of mosquitoes using transcriptional profiles. Nature Protocols, 2 (11), 2796-2806. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2007.396

Predicting the age of mosquitoes using transcriptional profiles

2007

Journal Article

The depletion of genetic variance by sexual selection

Van Homrigh, A., Higgie, M., McGuigan, K. and Blows, M. W. (2007). The depletion of genetic variance by sexual selection. Current Biology, 17 (6), 528-532. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.01.055

The depletion of genetic variance by sexual selection

2007

Journal Article

Complexity for complexity's sake?

Blows, M. W. (2007). Complexity for complexity's sake?. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 20 (1), 39-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01241.x

Complexity for complexity's sake?

2006

Journal Article

The use of transcriptional profiles to predict adult mosquito age under field conditions

Cook, P. E., Hugo, L. E., Iturbe-Ormaetxe, I., Williams, C. R., Chenoweth, S. F., Ritchie, S. A., Ryan, P. A., Kay, B. H., Blows, M. W. and O'Neill, S. L. (2006). The use of transcriptional profiles to predict adult mosquito age under field conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103 (48), 18060-18065. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0604875103

The use of transcriptional profiles to predict adult mosquito age under field conditions

2006

Journal Article

Debating sexual selection and mating strategies

Pizzari, T., Birkhead, T. R., Blows, M. W., Brooks, R., Buchanan, K. L., Clutton-Brock, T. H., Harvey, P. H., Hosken, D. J., Jennions, M. D., Kokko, H., Kotiaho, J. S., Lessells, C. M., Macias-Garcia, C., Moore, A. J. and Parker, G. A. (2006). Debating sexual selection and mating strategies. Science, 312 (5774), 690-690. doi: 10.1126/science.312.5774.689b

Debating sexual selection and mating strategies

2006

Journal Article

Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles: extension or innovation?

Kraft, P. G., Franklin, C. E. and Blows, M. W. (2006). Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles: extension or innovation?. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19 (2), 450-458. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.01015.x

Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles: extension or innovation?

2006

Journal Article

Measuring natural and sexual selection on breeding values of male display traits in Drosophila serrata

Skroblin, A. and Blows, M. W. (2006). Measuring natural and sexual selection on breeding values of male display traits in Drosophila serrata. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19 (1), 35-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00986.x

Measuring natural and sexual selection on breeding values of male display traits in Drosophila serrata

2006

Journal Article

Determining the effective dimensionality of the genetic variance-covariance matrix

Hine, E. and Blows, M. W. (2006). Determining the effective dimensionality of the genetic variance-covariance matrix. Genetics, 173 (2), 1135-1144. doi: 10.1534/genetics.105.054627

Determining the effective dimensionality of the genetic variance-covariance matrix

2006

Journal Article

The roles of natural and sexual selection during adaptation to a novel environment

Rundle, H. D., Chenoweth, S. F. and Blows, M. W. (2006). The roles of natural and sexual selection during adaptation to a novel environment. Evolution, 60 (11), 2218-2225. doi: 10.1554/06-249.1

The roles of natural and sexual selection during adaptation to a novel environment

2006

Journal Article

Age determination in individual wild-caught Drosophila serrata using pteridine concentration

Robson, S. K. A., Vickers, M., Blows, M. W. and Crozier, R. H. (2006). Age determination in individual wild-caught Drosophila serrata using pteridine concentration. Journal of Experimental Biology, 209 (16), 3155-3163. doi: 10.1242/jeb.02318

Age determination in individual wild-caught Drosophila serrata using pteridine concentration

2006

Journal Article

Substantial changes in the genetic basis of tadpole morphology of Rana lessonae in the presence of predators

Kraft, P. G., Wilson, R. S., Franklin, C. E. and Blows, M. W. (2006). Substantial changes in the genetic basis of tadpole morphology of Rana lessonae in the presence of predators. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19 (6), 1813-1818. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01185.x

Substantial changes in the genetic basis of tadpole morphology of Rana lessonae in the presence of predators

Funding

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2024
    The nature of standing genetic variation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Operation of the Queensland Emory Drug Development Initiative (QEDDI)
    Queensland Government Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    The contribution of pleiotropic mutation to genetic variation and evolution
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2021
    Why does the genetic nearly-null subspace exist?
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Mutational Genetic Variance and the Fitness Optimum
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2018
    The Geometry of Genetic Limits to Evolutionary Change
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Genetical Genomics of Mutational Variance
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Testing the Limits to Evolution: When and Why does adaptation fail in response to ecological change
    University of Bristol
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Sexual selection and the accumulation of deleterious mutations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    The Genomic Dimensionality of the Response to Natural Selection
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Multivariate Quantitative Genetics And The Lek Paradox
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2003
    Do females prefer males of high genetic quality?
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2006
    Mapping Speciation Genes
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2001 - 2003
    Adaptation to Environmental Gradients
    La Trobe University
    Open grant
  • 2001
    Genetic Basis of speciation: Mapping Speciation Genes.
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Quantitative genetics in wild populations: Empirical test of a new molecular approach.
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Quantitative Genetics of Environmental Gradients
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Process of speciation via sexual selection
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 1999
    The genetic basis of incipient speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 1999 - 2001
    The role of sexual selection in speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant
  • 1998
    Testing evolutionary explanations for species borders using two drosophila species
    James Cook University
    Open grant
  • 1998
    The genetic basis of speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Mark Blows is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Mark Blows directly for media enquiries about:

  • Evolutionary genetics
  • Genetics - quantitative

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