Mansa Srivastav, Postdoctoral Fellow

Biography

I am an evolutionary biologist fascinated by how and why species end up where they are. My research focuses on Honeysuckles (Lonicera) and the evolutionary puzzle of why only one of their three major groups has successfully made the leap into alpine environments. Using alpine ecosystems as natural laboratories, I will explore whether Lonicera species distributions reflect chance or traceable evolutionary events.

During my PhD, I investigated the systematics and biogeography of Lonicera, along with species boundaries and phylogeographic patterns in a high-altitude Honeysuckle lineage endemic to the Himalayan-Hengduan region. I later pursued a postdoctoral project examining the genetic mechanisms underlying organ fusion in Honeysuckles.

Besides all things plants, I enjoy reading, watching movies, traveling, singing, playing sports, and exploring food.