Illustrated portrait of Guangji Chen

Evolutionary genomics · Avian biodiversity

Guangji Chen

陈光霁

Postdoctoral researcher at Zhejiang University

I investigate how genomic change, natural selection and evolutionary processes shape the radiation, speciation and extraordinary diversity of birds.

Based in
Hangzhou, China
Current programme
B10K Genus phase

Research programme

From genomes to avian diversity

My work connects phylogenomics, comparative genomics, genome evolution and complex phenotypic evolution to understand the origins of bird diversity.

01

Radiation & speciation

Reconstructing the difficult branches of the avian tree of life and identifying processes that produced rapid diversification.

02

Genome evolution & complex phenotypic evolution

Studying endogenous retroviruses, transposable elements, structural genomic change and the evolution of complex phenotypes across bird lineages.

Read about the research programme →

Selected publications

Recent and representative work

Complete publication list →
Nature ReviewsBiodiversity · 2025

Phylogenomics and comparative genomic perspective on the avian radiation

First authorReview2 citationsAltmetric 11

Chen G, Xie Y & Zhang G

DOI →
Nature Communications2024

Adaptive expansion of ERVK solo-LTRs is associated with Passeriformes speciation events

First authorOpen access15 citationsAltmetric 10

Chen G et al.

DOI →
GigaScience2026

A comprehensive reference genome assembly dataset of birds inhabiting Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands

Co-first authorOpen access350 new genomes

Øksnebjerg DB, Nielsen SD, Chen G et al.

DOI →

Writing & outreach

Notes on evolution

I also write Chinese-language explanations and conference notes about evolutionary biology.

Browse all writing →