Frances E. Hauser
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Toronto
25 Harbord St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2
Email: frances.hauser@mail.utoronto.ca
Website: fehauser.wordpress.com
Current Research
- Molecular evolution of the opsin gene family in Neotropical cichlids
- Functional characterization of Neotropical cichlid opsin proteins
- Protein evolution
- Visual ecology and evolution of fishes
Education
Ph.D. (2011 – present) — University of Toronto, Evolutionary Biology
Advisors: Dr. Belinda Chang and Dr. Hernán López-Fernández
H.B.Sc. (2011) — Queen’s University, Biology
Advisor: Dr. Craig W. Hawryshyn
Publications (*Equal contribution)
Hauser, F.E., Ilves, K.L., Schott, R.K., Castiglione, G.M., López-Fernández, H., and Chang, B.S.W. In press. Accelerated evolution and functional divergence of the dim light visual pigment accompanies cichlid colonization of Central America. Molecular Biology and Evolution
Castiglione, G.M., Hauser, F.E., Liao, B.S., Lujan, N.K., Van Nynatten, A., Morrow, J.M., Schott, R.K., Bhattacharyya, N., Dungan, S.Z., and Chang, B.S.W. 2017. Evolution of non-spectral rhodopsin function at high altitudes. PNAS. 114 (28) 7385-7390
Morrow, J.M., Castiglione, G.M., Dungan, S.Z., Tang, P.L., Bhattacharyya, N., Hauser, F.E., and Chang, B.S.W. 2017. An experimental comparison of human and bovine rhodopsin provides insight into the molecular basis of retinal disease. FEBS Letters. DOI:10.1002/1873-3468.12637
Van Hazel, I.*, Dungan, S.Z.*, Hauser, F.E., Morrow, J.M., Endler J.A., and Chang, B.S.W. 2016. A comparative study of rhodopsin function in the great bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis): Spectral tuning and light-activated kinetics. Protein Science 25:1308–1318.
Hauser, F.E., Schott, R.K., Castiglione, G.M., Van Nynatten, A., Kosyakov, A., Tang, P.L., Gow, D.A., and Chang, B.S.W. 2016. Comparative sequence analyses of rhodopsin and RPE65 reveal patterns of selective constraint across hereditary retinal disease mutations. Visual Neuroscience 33:E002.
Hauser, F.E.*, van Hazel, I.*, and Chang, B.S.W. 2014. Spectral tuning in vertebrate short wavelength-sensitive 1 (SWS1) visual pigments: Can wavelength sensitivity be inferred from sequence data? Journal of Experimental Zoology B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution 322: 529-539.
Schott, R.K.*, Refvik, S.P.*, Hauser, F.E., López-Fernández, H., and Chang B.S.W. 2014. Divergent positive selection in rhodopsin from lake and riverine cichlid fishes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31: 1149-1165.
Hauser, F.E. and López-Fernández, H. 2013. Geophagus crocatus, a new species of geophagine cichlid from the Berbice River, Guyana (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa 3731:279-286.
Sabbah, S., Habib-Nayany, M.F., Dargaei, Z., Hauser, F.E., Kamermans, M., and Hawryshyn, C.W. 2013. Retinal region of polarization sensitivity switches during ontogeny of rainbow trout.The Journal of Neuroscience 33:7428-7438.
Sabbah, S., Hui, J., Hauser, F.E., Nelson, W.A., and Hawryshyn, C. W. 2012. Ontogeny in the visual system of Nile tilapia. Journal of Experimental Biology 155:2684-2695.
Scholarships and Awards
Eric J Steinbach Award (Vision Science Research Program, University of Toronto), 2017
Runner up for HH Harvey prize for significant contribution to the department (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto), 2017
Vision Science Research Scholarship (University Health Network), 2012-2017
Best Student Paper (Oral Presentation) (Neotropical Ichthyological Association), 2016
Graduate Student Travel Award (Am. Soc. of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists), 2016
Edward C. Raney Fund Award (Am. Soc. of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists), 2016
General Motors Women in Science and Mathematics Award (University of Toronto), 2016
Nominated for outstanding teaching assistant award (University of Toronto), 2014
Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2013-2014
Society of Graduate Studies Travel Grant, 2013 – 2014
NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS M), 2012
BIO120 & BIO220 Outstanding Teaching Assistant (University of Toronto), 2011 – 2012
University of Toronto Fellowship, 2011
Rebanks Research Fellowship (Royal Ontario Museum), 2011
Best Undergraduate Thesis: Integrative Biology (Queen’s University), 2011
Presentations
Hauser, F.E., Ilves, K.L., Castiglione, G.M., Schott, R.K., López-Fernández, H., and Chang B.S.W. (June 2017). Functional divergence of the dim light opsin following cichlid invasion of Central America. Evolution Meeting, Portland OR. (Oral)
Hauser, F.E., Castiglione, G.M., and Chang B.S.W. (May 2017). Computational and functional characterization of the rhodopsin hydrogen bonding network reveals insights into the molecular basis of proper receptor function. 59th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON. (Poster)
Hauser, F.E., Ilves, K.L., Schott, R.K., López-Fernández, H., and Chang B.S.W. (July 2016) Evolutionary dynamics of the rhodopsin gene in Neotropical cichlid fishes. 100th Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA. (Oral)
Hauser, F.E., Ilves, K.L., Schott, R.K., López-Fernández, H., and Chang B.S.W. (June 2016) Molecular divergence of rhodopsin in Neotropical cichlids reflects macroevolutionary transitions. Evolution Meeting, Austin, TX. (Oral)
Hauser, F.E., Tang, P.L., Heon, E., and Chang, B.S.W. (May 2016). Codon-based prediction tools for pathogenic variants associated with hereditary retinal degeneration. 58th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON. (Poster)
Hauser, F.E.*, Tang, P.L.*, Schott, R.K., Castiglione, G.M., Van Nynatten, A., Heon, E., and Chang, B.S.W. (May 2016) Application of codon-based evolutionary models in the prediction and validation of pathogenic mutations. Great Lakes Bioinformatics Conference, Toronto ON. (Poster) *Shared first author
Hauser, F.E., López-Fernández, H., and Chang, B.S.W. (April 2016) Molecular evolution of Neotropical cichlid visual genes reflects macroevolutionary transitions. Atwood Memorial Colloquium, University of Toronto. (Oral)
Hauser, F.E., Schott R.K., Castiglione, G.M., and Chang, B.S.W. 2015. Hereditary retinal disease mutations investigated with comparative sequence analyses: correlating mutations with disease phenotype. 57th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON (Oral)
Hauser, F.E. (August 2014) Evolution of visual pigment structure and function in cichlid fishes. EEB departmental seminar, University of Toronto (Oral)
Hauser, F.E., Schott R.K., Refvik, S., López-Fernández, H., and Chang, B.S.W. 2014. Positive selection at non-overlapping amino acid sites from lake and riverine cichlids. Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Annual Meeting, San Juan, PR (Poster)
Hauser, F.E. and Chang, B.S.W. 2014. Bioinformatic analyses investigate mutations across a visual cycle gene (RPE65) responsible for retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis. 56th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON (Poster)
Schott, R.K., Hauser, F.E., Refvik, S.,López-Fernández, H., and Chang, B.S.W. 2013. Molecular evolution of dim-light visual pigments in lake and riverine cichlids. Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. (Poster)
Hauser, F.E. and Chang, B.S.W. 2013. Using comparative sequence analysis of vertebrate rhodopsin to investigate retinitis pigmentosa mutations. 55th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto ON. (Poster)
Hauser, F.E. and Hawryshyn, C.W. 2011. Polarization sensitivity of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) under natural photic conditions. Undergraduate Biology Research Conference, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON. (Poster)
Hauser, F.E. and Hawryshyn, C.W. 2011. Polarization sensitivity of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) under natural photic conditions. Departmental Seminar, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON. (Oral)