A lynx pelt from Fairbanks, Ala. A falcon feather from under the I-5 Bridge. A big, green, serpentine rock from California that, as soil, hosts unusual plants. And various animal skulls from all over the United States: deer, coyote, turtle, raccoon, antelope — even cat.

These specimens adorn the office shelves of Toby Bradshaw, a UW professor of biology. He’s collected them over the years because he’s fascinated with organisms and curious about inherent evolutionary questions. He wants to understand how organisms adapt to the environment on the genetic basis.

“Every time I look at an organism, I’m imagining its genes and proteins and functions — not just looking at the whole organism,” Bradshaw said. “Every time I look at one, I can’t help but imagine all the parts that make it up and its evolutionary history.”

Despite holding a doctorate in biochemistry and having most of his background and training in molecular biology, a majority of Bradshaw’s teaching and research projects focus on evolution and organismal biology.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society, in particular, is thankful for Bradshaw’s extension of interests. Bradshaw is one of five UW faculty members — of a total 471 — to be named fellows by the AAAS this year. Every year, the AAAS elects fellows for their scientifically or socially significant contributions to science or its applications, according to its Web site. Bradshaw was recognized for his research on the genetics of adaptive evolution in natural plant populations.

“It’s always gratifying to be recognized by your fellow scientists as having made some useful contribution to the enterprise,” Bradshaw said.

Tom Daniel, chair of the Department of Biology, said Bradshaw’s fellowship makes complete sense because of his passion for research and education in evolution.

“Given that the U.S. is one of the few Western countries in which evolution is so poorly understood, it is exceedingly critical that the science and understanding of evolution be explained and explored,” Daniel said.

Bradshaw credits much of his success to the resources available at the UW.

“We have great facilities here,” Bradshaw said. “We’re one of the few places in the world where even this kind of [research] can be done.”

He also acknowledges undergraduate participation in laboratory, greenhouse and field experiments for his research, and he commends the UW for promoting the collaboration of research and teaching to generate new knowledge.

“Researching makes the teaching better, and the undergraduate students that come into the lab make the research better because they have original ideas on how things can be done better,” Bradshaw said. “It’s all about discovery and communication of knowledge.”

Bradshaw’s recent research studies the genetic adaptation of two species of the Mimulus plant, or monkeyflower. Bumblebees pollinate one species, while hummingbirds pollinate the other.

Each flower has different traits that make it attractive to its specific pollinator — such as color, shape and position of reproductive parts and nectar.

Over millions of years the bumblebee-pollinated species adapted through genetic mutations until it transformed into the hummingbird-pollinated species. Bradshaw’s task was to identify and measure the effect each individual gene had on the evolution of the monkeyflower.

“We’re basically trying to reconstruct evolutionary history one mutation at a time,” Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw added that his research on the monkeyflower is recognized, not only for the results, but also because of his experimental approach. He and his students are using the tools of modern genomics — essentially the same methods developed to analyze the origin of species, including humans.

“We’re sort of applying modern genomics technology … to study classic [questions] of evolution,” Bradshaw said. “We’re curious about the origin of biodiversity and addressing in detail the same [question] Darwin wrote about in 1859. He had no understanding of genetics and now we have a tremendous understanding of genetics. So we’re essentially able to apply these new tools to solve part of the evolutionary [question] that Darwin wasn’t able to solve.”

Bradshaw’s work is a follow-up to evolutionary studies from the middle of the 20th century, said Ray Huey, a UW biology professor.

“Now Toby can bring modern genetics to the system,” Huey said. “Thus [biologists] are able to study the process of adaptation to the environment at all levels, from genes to populations. That’s a major goal and challenge for evolutionary biology, and Toby’s work is at the forefront.”

Bradshaw now has a complete genome sequence from the bumblebee-pollination species to the hummingbird pollination species, but he isn’t quite finished with monkeyflowers. His next research project is to clone the individual genes responsible for the mutations so he can understand their role on the DNA basis.

Back in Bradshaw’s office, a lamp filled with rabbit tails sits on his desk. The rabbits were caught by pet hawks that he’s been breeding for six generations.

“Once a geneticist, always a geneticist,” Bradshaw said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s flowers or hawks.”

[Reach reporter Sara Bruestle at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]