Axel recently completed his PhD in the Pask lab examining the molecular basis of convergent craniofacial evolution between the thylacine and canids.

The thylacine was a large carnivorous marsupial that lived in Tasmania until the early 20th century. Aside from having a pouch where it carried its young, the thylacine displayed remarkable similarities to large canids, such as dogs and wolves, despite sharing a common ancestor ~160 million years ago. The striking morphological convergence seen between these species raises many questions as to what the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms are that drive these observable similarities.

Axels research uses a combination of morphological, molecular and genetic analyses to quantify and functionally validate the mechanisms that contribute to convergent skull evolution between mammals. While this research is fundamental to understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms that drive craniofacial evolution in mammals, it also provides insights to potential candidates which cause skull malformation and disease.

Dr Axel Newton holding a rare 9.5 week old thylacine pouch young from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). These rare specimens were CT-scanned to learn about their biology using non-invasive or destructive techniques.

Recent publications:

Feigin, C. Y., Newton, A. H, et al. Genome of the Tasmanian tiger provides insights into the evolution and demography of an extinct marsupial carnivore. Nat. Ecol. Evol.2, 182–192 (2018).

Newton, A. H., Feigin,C. Y. & Pask, A. J. RUNX2 repeat variation does not drive craniofacial diversity in marsupials. BMC Evol. Biol. 17, 1–9 (2017).

Newton, A. H. et al.Letting the ‘cat’ out of the bag: Pouch young development of the extinct Tasmanian tiger revealed by X-ray computed tomography. R. Soc. Open Sci. 5,171914 (2018).