Alexandra E. DeShaw: Plant Direct First Author

Alexandra E.  DeShaw, first author of “The plastomes of Hyalomonas oviformis and Hyalogonium fusiforme evolved dissimilar architectures after the loss of photosynthesis”

Current Position: Research Assistant, Mood Disorders Research Group, Nova Scotia Health Authority

Education: MSc. in Evolutionary Biology, University of New Brunswick

Non-scientific Interests: Painting, baking, reading

Brief bio: Intrigued by evolutionary processes, I began investigating the effects of loss of photosynthesis in green algae with Dr. Adrian Reyes Prieto during my undergraduate degree. That work became the basis of my graduate research into the genomic and metabolic consequences of loss of photosynthesis to green algal plastids.