Matthew K. Fujita
Department of Integrative Biology
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
University of California
3101 Valley Life Sciences Building
Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: (510) 642-7928
E-mail: mkfujita@berkeley.edu
Education
Graduate student current
University of California, Berkeley GPA: 4.00 (as of July 2008)
B.S., Cell Biology June 2001
University of California, Davis GPA: 3.95
Research Interests
Molecular Evolution, Evolutionary Genomics, Systematics, Herpetology
Research Experience
2003- present. Graduate Student. Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley (Advisors: Jimmy A. McGuire and Craig Moritz).
2001-2003. Lab Manager. Laboratory of Brad Shaffer at the University of California, Davis.
1999-2001. Undergraduate Researcher. Laboratory of Brad Shaffer at UC Davis.
Computational Skills
Perl, C++
Teaching Experience
2006-2007 GK-12: Exploring California Biodiversity; 7th grade, Adams Middle
School, Richmond, CA. NSF Graduate Fellow.
2004 Integrative Biology 175L: Herpetology. Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Spring 2004.
2003 Biology 1B: Introductory Biology. GSI, Fall 2003.
2001 Biological Sciences 104: Regulation of Cell Function. Teaching Assistant.
1998-1999 UC Davis Learning Skills Center. Tutor in chemistry and calculus.
Awards and Honors
2008 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Program (US-Australia), $11,200
2008 Phi Beta Kappa Fellowship, Northern California Chapter, $5000
2008 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, $12000
2007 UC Berkeley Graduate Division Conference Travel Grant, $500
2007 MVZ Alexander Fund, $2000
2006-2007 NSF GK-12 Graduate Student Fellow
2006 MVZ Kellog Fund, $2000
2006 Integrative Biology Departmental Funds, $4300
2005 East Asian Pacific Summer Institute Program (NSF), ~$5000
2004 Environmental Protection Agency STAR Fellowship, declined
2004 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSFGRF)
2003 NSFGRF, Honorable Mention
2003 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) Kellogg Fund, $1500
1997-2001 UC Regent Scholar and Member of Integrated Studies
1997-2001 Deans List, Division of Biological Science
2001 Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
2001 Distinguished Senior Award
2001 Graduated with Highest Honors
2000 Presidential Undergraduate Fellowship, $2000
2000 Summer Honors Advanced Research Program, $3000 stipend; $500 for research
1999, 2000 Tracy I. Storer Scholarship
Presentations
Fujita, M.K., J. A. McGuire, S. Donnellan, and C. Moritz. Systematics and Biogeography of the Bynoe’s Gecko (Heteronotia binoei; Gekkonidae). Paper
presentation at Evolution 2008 in Minneapolis, MN.
Fujita, M.K. Genome evolution in the parthenogenetic geckos. Part of a Tree of Life workshop organized by Adam Leache and sponsored by CIPRES,
University of California, Berkeley. 2008.
Fujita, M.K., J.L Boore, C. Moritz. Origin and evolution of mitochondrial genome duplications in parthenogenetic geckos of the Heteronotia binoei complex. Paper presentation at Evolution 2007 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Leache, A.D., M.K. Fujita, R. Diaz, and T. Papenfuss. Field Trips to West Africa. Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
Fujita, M.K., H.B. Shaffer, and A.M. Picco. Conservation genetics of the red-legged frog, Rana aurora draytonii. Poster presentation at the 2003 Evolution meetings in Chico, California.
Shaffer, H.B., M.K. Fujita, and D.E. Starkey. Examining the effects of Pleistocene climate shifts with gene genealogical data. Presented paper at 2003 Evolution meetings in Chico, California.
Fujita, M.K., D.E. Starkey, and H.B. Shaffer. Genetic Homogeneity in the Common Snapping Turtle: Rapid Colonization or Selective Sweeps? Poster presentation at the 2001 Evolution meetings in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Publications
Kearney, M., Fujita, M.K., and Ridenour, J. In press. Lost sex in the reptiles: constraints and correlations. Invited review for an edited book Lost Sex.
Shaffer, H.B., D.E. Starkey, and M.K. Fujita. 2008. Molecular insights into the systematics of the snapping turtles (Chelydridae). R.J. Brooks, A.C. Steyermark, and M. S. Finkler, eds., Biology of the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. PDF
Fujita, M.K., J.L. Boore, C. Moritz. In review. Multiple origins and rapid evolution of duplicated mitochondrial genes in parthenogenetic geckos (Heteronotia binoei; Squamata, Gekkonidae). Molecular Biology and Evolution 24:2775-2786. LINK
Leache, A.D., M.-O. Rodel, C.W. Linkem, R.E. Diaz, A. Hillers, and M.K. Fujita. 2006. Biodiversity in a forest island: reptiles and amphibians of the Togo Hills, Kyabobo National Park, Ghana. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 4(1): 22-45. PDF
Rödel, M-O., M. Gil, A..C. Agyei, A.D. Leaché, R.E. Diaz, M.K. Fujita, and R. Ernst. 2005. The amphibians of the forested parts of south-western Ghana. Salamandra: 41: 107-127. PDF
Fujita, M.K., T.N. Engstrom, D.E. Starkey, and H.B. Shaffer. 2004. Turtle phylogeny revisited: insights from a novel nuclear intron. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31: 1031-1040. PDF
Societies
Society for the Study of Evolution, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Society of Systematic Biologists, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists