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Hire Dr. Justin M.

United States

USD 50 /hr

Evolutionary & Ecological Genomics Specialist | Expert in Evolutionary Genomics & Spatial Ecology

Profile Summary

Evolutionary biologist and bioinformatician with interdisciplinary expertise in ecology, genomics, and epigenetics. My research investigates how genomes and epigenomes drive coevolution, adaptation, and speciation across diverse taxa, from tropical plants to migratory birds. I integrate comparative and population genomics with spatial ecology to elucidate the molecular basis and evolutionary maintenance of adaptive traits. I hold a Ph.D. in Biology (summa cum laude, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) and currently serve as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service. My first-authored work has appeared in Science, Science Advances, and Molecular Ecology, encompassing projects on co-evolutionary genomics, epigenetics, niche modelling, and hybridization. I offer professional scientific writing and editing support for projects in ecology, evolution, conservation genetics, and genomics—specializing in manuscript editing, data interpretation, and the synthesis of complex evolutionary narratives for publication or grant submission.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Evolutionary Biology
• ☆ Zoology
• ☆ Wildlife Management
• ☆ Ornithology
• ☆ Molecular Biology
• ☆ Omics
• ☆ Comparative Genomics
• ☆ Genomics
• ☆ Epigenetics
• ☆ Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
• ☆ Ecology
• ☆ Applied Ecology
• ☆ Conservation Biology
• ☆ Conservation Genetics
• ☆ Phylogenetics
• ☆ Population Genetics
• ☆ R

Services

• Writing

Writing Technical Writing

Work Experience

Postdoctoral Scientist

United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service

November 2024 - Present

Postdoctoral Scientist

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

June 2024 - November 2024

Education

PhD (Department Biologie)

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

December 2018 - June 2024

MSc (Environmental and Life Sciences)

Trent University

September 2016 - October 2018

BSc (Environmental Science) / BA (Philosophy)

University of Washington

September 2010 - August 2014

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Justin Merondun, Jochen B. W. Wolf (2025). DNA Methylation Reflects Cis‐Genetic Differentiation Across the European Crow Hybrid Zone . Molecular Ecology.

Philip W. Atkinson, Jarkko Rutila, Victor Bulyuk, Mikhail Markovets, Bård G. Stokke, Gregory L Owens, Kasper Thorup, Marcel Honza, Frode Fossøy, Chris Morgan Hewson, et al. (2025). Genomic architecture of egg mimicry and its consequences for speciation in parasitic cuckoos . Science.

Justin Merondun, Frode Fossøy, Swetlana Meshcheryagina, Phil Atkinson, Gennadiy Bachurin, Victor Bulyuk, Viktar Fenchuk, Mikhail Golovatin, Chris Hewson, Marcel Honza, et al. (2025). Genomic architecture of egg mimicry and its consequences for speciation in parasitic cuckoos . Science.

Justin Merondun, Cristiana I. Marques, Pedro Andrade, Swetlana Meshcheryagina, Ismael Galván, Sandra Afonso, Joel M. Alves, Pedro M. Araújo, Gennadiy Bachurin, Jennifer Balacco, et al. (2024). Evolution and genetic architecture of sex-limited polymorphism in cuckoos . Science Advances.

Merondun, Justin, Wolf, Jochen B. W. (2024). The contribution of epigenetic variation to evolution in crows . BioRxiv.

Merondun, Justin, Serieys, Laurel E. K., Leighton, Gabriella R. M., Bishop, Jacqueline M. (2024). Denning and maternal behavior of caracals (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) . Mammalian Biology.

Merondun, Justin, Marques, Cristiana I., Andrade, Pedro, Meshcheryagina, Swetlana, Galvan, Ismael, Afonso, Sandra, Alves, Joel M., Araujo, Pedro M., Bachurin, Gennadiy, Balacco, Jennifer, et al. (2024). Evolution and genetic architecture of sex-limited polymorphism in cuckoos . Science Advances.

Justin Merondun, Ana Catal&#225;n, Ulrich Knief, Jochen B. W. Wolf(2023). Chromatin accessibility, not 5mC methylation covaries with partial dosage compensation in crows . PLOS Genetics. 19. (9). p. e1010901. Public Library of Science ({PLoS})

Justin Merondun, Gabriella R. M. Leighton, Jacqueline M. Bishop, Deborah J. Winterton, M. Justin O’Riain, Laurel E. K. Serieys(2022). Hiding in plain sight: risk mitigation by a cryptic carnivore foraging at the urban edge . Animal Conservation. 25. (2). p. 244--258. Wiley

Justin Mer&#246;ndun, Elizabeth M. Kierepka, Aaron B.A. Shafer, Dennis L. Murray(2021). Spatial population genetics reveals competitive imbalances threatening local apex predator persistence . Biological Conservation. 256. p. 109062. Elsevier {BV}

Kevin S. White, Taal Levi, Jessica Breen, Meghan Britt, Justin Mer&#246;ndun, Daria Martchenko, Yasaman N. Shakeri, Boyd Porter, Aaron B. A. Shafer(2021). Integrating Genetic Data and Demographic Modeling to Facilitate Conservation of Small, Isolated Mountain Goat Populations . The Journal of Wildlife Management. 85. (2). p. 271--282. Wiley

Gabriella R. M. Leighton, Jacqueline M. Bishop, M. Justin O’Riain, Joleen Broadfield, Justin Mer&#246;ndun, Graham Avery, D. Margaret Avery, Laurel E. K. Serieys(2020). An integrated dietary assessment increases feeding event detection in an urban carnivore . Urban Ecosystems. 23. (3). p. 569--583. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Justin Mer&#246;ndun, Dennis L. Murray, Aaron B. A. Shafer(2019). Genome‐scale sampling suggests cryptic epigenetic structuring and insular divergence in Canada lynx . Molecular Ecology. 28. (13). p. 3186--3196. Wiley

Justin Mer&#246;ndun, Dennis L. Murray, Aaron B. A. Shafer (2019). Genome‐scale sampling suggests cryptic epigenetic structuring and insular divergence in Canada lynx . Molecular Ecology.

Meghan Britt, Sarah E. Haworth, Justin B. Johnson, Daria Martchenko, Aaron B.A. Shafer(2018). The importance of non-academic coauthors in bridging the conservation genetics gap . Biological Conservation. 218. p. 118--123. Elsevier {BV}

Meghan Britt, Sarah E. Haworth, Justin B. Johnson, Daria Martchenko, Aaron B.A. Shafer (2018). The importance of non-academic coauthors in bridging the conservation genetics gap . Biological Conservation.

PREPRINT

Justin Merondun, Jochen B. W. Wolf (2024). The contribution of epigenetic variation to evolution in crows .

J.B. Johnson, D.L. Murray, A.B.A. Shafer (2018). Genome-wide sampling suggests island divergence accompanied by cryptic epigenetic plasticity in Canada lynx .

CONFERENCE ABSTRACT

Justin Merondun (2023). Evolution and genetic architecture of sex-limited polymorphism in cuckoos. Evolutionary Genetics Munich.

Justin Merondun (2023). Trans-species balanced color polymorphisms through sex-specific genetic architecture. Evolutionary Biology Conference of Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and Oregon (EVO-WIBO).

Justin Merondun (2018). Methylation patterns reveal cryptic structure and a pathway for adaptive divergence in a panmictic carnivore. Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution.

Justin Merondun (2018). Genome-wide patterns of methylation in a free-ranging carnivore reveal signatures of range-wide geographic and climatic identity. Trent Northern Studies Colloquium.

CONFERENCE POSTER

Justin Merondun (2017). Implications of anthropogenic influence and hybridization on wild canid niche characteristics. International Urban Wildlife Conference.

Justin Merondun (2014). Human impacts on Peruvian cloud forest biodiversity. University of Washington Capstone Symposium.