Our aim in the Toomey lab is to understand the
mechanisms, functions, and evolution of animal coloration and
vision. We focus on the physiology and biochemistry of
carotenoid and retinoid pigments. We use comparative genomics,
transcriptions, molecular cloning, and heterologous expression
systems to discover the mechanisms of pigment metabolism and
transport. We investigate the biology of these mechanisms
across levels of organization from organelles to ecology to
gain insights into evolution of elaborate traits and
functional adaptations.