Dr. Matthew Aardema is an Assistant Professor at Montclair State University and a Visiting Scientist with the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History. 

Dr. Aardema holds an undergraduate degree in Zoology and a duel Master’s degree in Entomology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, both from Michigan State University. He received his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. Although much of his early career work was on butterfly behavior and genetics, his current research is shifting to focus on the molecular evolution and population genetics of disease vectors. Dr. Aardema also works to better understand strain diversity and evolution in the tick-transmitted pathogenic bacterium, Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Ecology and evolution of arthropod vectors & arthropod-vectored pathogens (predominately Anaplasma phagocytophilum); comparative genomics & convergent evolution

The molecular evolution and population genetics of disease vectors. and to better understand strain diversity and evolution in the tick-transmitted pathogenic bacterium, Anaplasma phagocytophilum.