dr. FT (Freek) Bakker

My research interest is in (molecular) evolution, especially in the South African Cape genus Pelargonium (Geraniaceae), known for its elevated rates of organelle genome evolution. I estimate phylogenetic relationships within the Pelargonium clade and use these to study genome evolution, floral evolutionary trends as well as how cytonuclear incompatabilities come about.

In addition, I have an active interest in theoretical aspects of phylogeny and network reconstruction, assessing positive selection, DNA barcoding and the evolution of plant organellar DNA. I am exploring how next generation sequencing data can be used in herbarium genomics, using specimens of up to 140+ years old, especially for use in plastome sequence based phylogenetics.

Career summary:

I am Assistant Professor Molecular Systematics at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Before that I was a postdoc from 2000 - 2002 at the same group. From 1995 - 2000 I was a postdoc at the Dept. of Botany, The University of Reading, UK. I did my PhD in 1995 at the dept. of Marine Biology, University of Groningen, NL