Current research
I am an evolutionary biologist with a strong interest in population genetics and molecular evolution. Current research topics in my group include the evolutionary genetics of sexual reproduction and geographic parthenogenesis, the genetic basis of fitness variation, balancing selection, and inbreeding depression.
My research combines experimental and theoretical approaches, as well as analysis of molecular markers and DNA sequence variation. My main study organisms are water fleas of the genus Daphnia, which have several assets that allow a rigorous experimental approach. Other study organisms include the Glanville fritillary butterfly and a critically endangered bird, the Northern Bald Ibis. More details on specific projects can be found on my research webpage
Curriculum vitae
| 2000 | MSc, University of Basel, Switzerland |
| 2004 | PhD, University of Fribourg, Switzerland |
| 2004-2005 | Postdoctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland |
| 2005-2007 | Marie Curie and SNSF fellow, University of Edinburgh, UK |
| 2007-present | Junior group leader, University of Fribourg, Switzerland |
Representative publications (full list with pdfs)
Haag, C. R., S. J. McTaggart, A. Didier, T. J. Little, and D. Charlesworth. 2009. Nucleotide polymorphism and within-gene recombination in Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex, two cyclical parthenogens. Genetics, 182: 313–323.
Haag, C. R., and D. Roze. 2007. Genetic load in sexual and asexual diploids: segregation, dominance and genetic drift. Genetics, 176: 1663-1678
Haag, C. R., M. Saastamoinen, J. H. Marden, and I. Hanski. 2005. A candidate locus for variation in dispersal rate in a butterfly metapopulation. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 272: 2449–2456
Haag, C. R., M. Riek, J. W. Hottinger, V. I. Pajunen, and D. Ebert. 2005. Genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in Daphnia metapopulations with subpopulations of known age. Genetics, 170: 1809-1820
Ebert, D., C. Haag, J. Hottinger, M. Riek, and V. I. Pajunen. 2002. A selective advantage to immigrant genes in a Daphnia metapopulation. Science 295:485-488