Hanon McShea

Hello! I’m a PhD candidate in the Earth System Science department at Stanford University. My advisor is Paula Welander. I am interested in the evolution of proteins and lipid membranes, with a focus on long timescales and evolutionary dynamics. You can find a list of my publications here, and a full CV here.

My graduate research has explored the diversity and evolutionary history of terpenoid cyclases, enzymes that biosynthesize polycyclic lipids such as sterols and hopanoids. I have also conducted theoretical work on the consequences of the effectiveness of selection for protein evolution.

I previously studied Organismal Biology at Harvard University and researched the evolution of nitrogenase enzymes. I grew up in Durham, North Carolina. Outside the lab, I enjoy birdwatching, growing plants, and building aquaria.