Laboratorio de Ecología y Morfometría Evolutiva
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Welcome to my website, in this place you can read all the aspect of my research and other stuff, my principal effort devoted to study the ecological an evolutionary patterns of morphological diversification in insects, exploring the way in which morphological variation occurs, which is the evolutionary origin.
News 2026
October 2026 - One New Doctoral Student Join EME Lab
We are delighted to announce that Tamara Eitel has been accepted into the PhD in Conservation Medicine at Universidad Andrés Bello, joining EME Lab to begin an exciting new chapter in evolutionary biology and biodiversity research.
Her doctoral research will focus on understanding the adaptive patterns and evolutionary diversification of butterflies across Arctic and subantarctic environments, expanding the geographical scope of EME Lab's research into the terrestrial ecosystems of the Northern Hemisphere.
Using butterflies of the genus Colias as a model system, Tamara will investigate evolutionary patterns across their extensive Arctic distribution, including Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and other regions of high-latitude terrestrial biodiversity. Her research will explore how populations respond to environmental challenges and how evolutionary processes shape phenotypic and genomic diversity across extreme environments.
By integrating wing geometric morphometrics, population genomics, and complementary evolutionary approaches, her work will connect phenotypic variation with population genetic structure and evolutionary history, providing new insights into adaptation, diversification, and biodiversity in some of the planet's most challenging ecosystems.
This new research direction represents an important milestone for EME Lab, strengthening our comparative perspective on biodiversity across Arctic, Antarctic, and subantarctic regions and opening new opportunities for international scientific collaboration.
We warmly congratulate Tamara on this achievement and welcome her to this new four-year journey of scientific discovery.
Welcome to EME Lab, Tamara! 🦋❄️
Another Successful Geometric Morphometrics Course at EME Lab!
We are delighted to announce the successful completion of a new edition of our Intensive Course on Geometric Morphometrics, held at Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) during the last week of September and the beginning of October 2026. This year, the course brought together 30 selected students from different regions of Chile, including PhD and Master's students, as well as undergraduate students interested in exploring the applications of geometric morphometrics in evolutionary biology, ecology, and biodiversity research.
Through an intensive schedule of full-day sessions, from Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, participants immersed themselves in the theoretical foundations and practical applications of geometric morphometrics, with a strong emphasis on data analysis and visualization using R.
This edition incorporated new tutorials, updated analytical approaches, and extensive hands-on exercises, providing participants with tools to investigate biological shape variation, morphological diversity, and evolutionary patterns across different organisms and research questions.
Beyond the technical training, the course created an excellent environment for scientific discussion, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among students from different institutions and academic backgrounds.At EME Lab, we strongly believe that sharing methodological expertise and promoting advanced analytical training are essential for strengthening evolutionary and biodiversity research in Chile.
EME Lab at the forefront of global geometric morphometrics
Dr. Hugo A. Benítez has been recognized as the most prolific and extensively collaborative author worldwide in the field of geometric morphometrics applied to entomology, according to a recent scientometric review published in the journal Insects (https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030325) . This distinction highlights not only his sustained scientific productivity, but also his central role in fostering international research networks and collaborative approaches within evolutionary biology. His work has significantly contributed to advancing the use of geometric morphometrics as a powerful tool to understand morphological variation, adaptation, and evolutionary processes in insects across diverse environmental contexts, including extreme ecosystems such as Antarctica and sub-Antarctic regions.
EME Lab Secures FONDECYT Regular 2026 to Study the Invasion Dynamics of Bagrada hilaris in Chile
Our Lab has been awarded a FONDECYT Regular 2026 grant to lead a multidisciplinary research project aimed at understanding the invasion dynamics and invasive potential of the painted bug Bagrada hilaris in Chile, one of the most damaging emerging agricultural pests in the country.The project, entitled “Tracing Invasion Pathways and Invasiveness of Bagrada hilaris in Chile: Integrative Approaches for Sustainable Control under a Climate Change Framework”, will be led by Dr. Hugo A. Benítez and brings together national and international collaborators with expertise in invasion biology, population genomics, geometric morphometrics, transcriptomics, and sustainable pest management.
Team EME LAB in Antarctica - ECA 62
EME Lab is proud to support the Terrestrial Observatory of the Millennium Institute BASE, an initiative dedicated to long-term monitoring of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Through this collaboration, we contribute to understanding biodiversity responses to environmental change at the southernmost limits of life, strengthening integrative research on ecosystem dynamics, resilience, and global change in Antarctica.
Congratulations to Dr. Margarita Correa and Dr. Rocío Álvarez on being awarded a Fondecyt de Iniciación Grant
We warmly congratulate Dr. Rocío Álvarez, former doctoral researcher at EME Lab, and Dr. Margarita Correa, current Research Associate and former postdoctoral fellow at EME Lab, on being awarded Fondecyt de Iniciación grants, one of Chile’s most competitive research funding programs. These projects represent outstanding contributions to national science, addressing key questions in Evolutionary Toxicology and Biological Control, respectively. We are proud to see EME Lab researchers continue to lead high-impact, innovative research in Chile and beyond.
October - Four New Doctoral Students Join EME Lab!
We are delighted to announce that four new students have been accepted to begin their doctoral training at Universidad Andrés Bello, following a highly competitive selection process.
Daniela Ahumada, Isabel Lobos, and Thania Acuña will join the PhD in Conservation Medicine, while Diego Gutiérrez will start his journey in the PhD in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology.
Their research will combine geometric morphometric tools and an integrative phenomic perspective, bridging phenotypic and genomic approaches to explore extreme environments and the biological mysteries of southern South America through diverse model organisms. Each of them will bring fresh perspectives to the study of form, adaptation, and biodiversity over the next four years.
The selection process was rigorous, and we are pleased to welcome such a committed group of researchers passionate about science. To those who applied but were not selected, we extend our sincere recognition and encouragement to continue preparing for future opportunities.
We warmly congratulate those who begin this new challenge today and welcome them to EME Lab, where rigorous science and the passion for discovery continue to guide our work.
Courses / Cursos
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External Research Associate Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
External Research Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb
Biologist MSc in Zoology
PhD Evolutionary Biology - University of Manchester