New funding from NIGMS to investigate phylogenetic mechanisms of trait evolution in fishes (NIH 1R35GM150590-01). We will use convergent evolution of trait losses across fishes as a “forward genomic” screen to identify novel genetic regulators of evolved traits that resemble human disease states. We will also assess mechanisms of evolved resilience to kidney diseases through analysis of glomerular tissue plascitity in lungfishes and the evolution of compensatory gene expression in convergently evolving, freshwater aglomerular pipefishes.