Eric Guisbert of FIT has discovered that nearly 100 invasive fish species, such as the bluegill sunfish, contain extra copies of cellular stress response genes. This may explain why invasive species are more resilient to environmental changes.

“Bringing together mathematicians and biologists catalyzed the project and led to critical new insights into the problem,” said Guisbert. He plans to expand this research to determine if the genetic signature applies to other invasive species besides fish.

• Eric Guisbert