Dr Anita Malhotra
Reader in Zoology (Molecular Ecology)
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My research interests focus on the role of natural selection in population adaptation and divergence, to which I apply a wide range of methods including multivariate morphometrics, statistical hypothesis-testing, innovative field experiments and genome analysis. I have two main areas of research on disparate organisms in different geographical regions (Anolis lizards in the Caribbean and Asian pit vipers), which are unified by being essentially focussed on the interface between evolution and ecology, and with an emphasis on the integration of genetic and phenetic data. More recently, my research has moved into the field of ecological and evolutionary genomics to evaluate the evolution of genes affecting complex traits directly and relies on the availability of a well-supported and complete organismal phylogeny of Asian pitvipers generated by my students and myself. Drawing on numerous collaborations to bring together disparate strands of organismal biology and ecology, evolutionary theory, comparative genomics, bioinformatics and proteomics, I aim to develop an integrated picture of the evolution of snake venom components.
Another strand to this research on venomous snakes involves snakebite mitigation, and I am currently involved in several projects in India, dubbed the "snakebite capital of the world", where c. 50,000 people die from snakebite every year and many more suffer permanent disability. Together with partners in India, our work ranges from mapping the distribution and genetic and venom variation present in venomous species across the country, to undertaking rescuer training and education and awareness programs. We are particularly focussing on the Himalayan and northeastern region, which belong to biodiversity "hotspots" but are relatively understudied. The venomous species in these regions are diferent to the rest of the country, and are not covered by the currently available polyvalent antivenom.
I am also involved in research on the genetic health of honeybees and other pollinators, together with colleague Dr Paul Cross. We are part of the recently formed research network on British dark bee conservation that includes researchers from Plymouth University, National University of Ireland (Galway), and the University of Edinburgh.
- Published
Predicting function from sequence in a large multifunctional toxin family
Malhotra, A., Creer, S., Harris, J. B., Stöcklin, R., Favereau, P. & Thorpe, R. S., 3 Jul 2013, In: Toxicon. 72, p. 113-125Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Promoting co-existence between humans and venomous snakes through increasing the herpetological knowledge base
Malhotra, A., Wüster, W., Owens, J. B., Hodges, C. W., Jesudasan, A., Ch, G., Kartik, A., Christopher, P., Louies, J., Naik, H., Santra, V., Kuttalam, S. R., Attre, S., Sasa, M., Bravo-Vega, C. & Murray, K. A., 1 Nov 2021, In: Toxicon: X. 12, November 2021, 18 p., 10081.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Tackling Snakebite Through Training: an Indian example
Malhotra, A., Graham, S., Owens, J. B., Bharti, O. & Santra, V., 31 Aug 2022, In: Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 17, 2, p. 331–342Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Can we solve the snakebite crisis in India?
Malhotra, A. & Vasudevan, K., Apr 2018, 6 p.Research output: Other contribution
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The dynamics of natural selection and vicariance in the Dominican anole: Patterns of within-island molecular and morphological divergence.
Malhotra, A. & Thorpe, R. S., 1 Feb 2000, In: Evolution. 54, 1, p. 245-258Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Convergence of multiple markers and analysis methods defines the genetic distinctiveness of cryptic pitvipers
Mrinalini, M., Thorpe, R. S., Creer, S., Lallias, D. S., Dawnay, L., Stuart, B. L. & Malhotra, A., 8 Jul 2015, In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 92, p. 266-279Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
A paper microfluidic device based colorimetric sensor for the detection and discrimination of elapid versus viper envenomation
Ramana, L., Mathapati, S. S., Salvi, N., Khadilkar, M. V., Malhotra, A., Santra, V. & Sharma, T. K., 21 Feb 2022, In: Analyst. 147, 4, p. 685-694Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Ecological diversification in a group of Indomalayan pitvipers (Trimeresurus): convergence in taxonomically important traits has implications for species identification.
Sanders, K. L., Malhotra, A. & Thorpe, R. S., 1 Jul 2004, In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 17, 4, p. 721-731Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Evidence for a Mullerian mimetic radiation in Asian pitvipers
Sanders, K. L., Malhotra, A. & Thorpe, R., 7 May 2006, In: Proceedings of The Royal Society B - Biological Sciences. 273, 1590, p. 1135-1141Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Combining molecular, morphological and ecological data to infer species boundaries in a cryptic tropical pitviper.
Sanders, K. L., Malhotra, A. & Thorpe, R. S., 1 Mar 2006, In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 87, 3, p. 343-364Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review