Ester Gaya

I conduct research on the diversity and evolution of fungi, especially Ascomycota, and I focus on processes of speciation and phenotypic evolution using lichenised fungi as a case study. I am currently co-Principal Investigator of a project that explores the hyperdiversity of extremotolerant fungal symbioses, in partnership with the Institute of Plant Sciences, at University of Graz (Austria). My other main interests are methods testing using an empirical approach: phylogenetics, phylogenomics, dating events, ancestral character state reconstructions. My specialties include taxonomy and systematics of Teloschistales (Ascomycota).

I am currently coordinating the fungal module of the new MSc course in Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity and Conservation, in partnership with Queen Mary University of London.