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Garb lab
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what we study
Research in the Garb Lab is broadly aimed at understanding biological evolution, from the molecular level to species diversification, and employs empirical approaches that integrate systematic biology, molecular evolution, genomics and ecology. We specialize in spiders, one of the most species-rich animal groups, and our current projects largely concern the evolution of genes encoding venom and silk proteins. The direct link between venom and silk genes and their ecological utility make them excellent models for investigating the role of genomic changes in organismal adaptation and lineage diversification.
2025 Correa-Garhwal SM, Stafstrom J, Baker RH, Hayashi CY, Hoy R, Reeve HK, JE Garb. Silk gland morphology of the net-casting spider Deinopis spinosa. Journal of Arachnology. 53 (1), 20-25. [full text]
2025 Gregorič M, Yu K-P, Rojas Velez W1, JE Garb. Caerostris (Araneidae, Araneae) cryptic diversity shows the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy. 989(1), 1–23. [full text]
2024 Wolff JO, Ashley LJ, Schmitt C, Heu C, Denkova D, Jani M, Řezáčová V, Blamires SJ, Gorb SN, Garb JE, Goodacre SL, M Řezáč. From fibres to adhesives: evolution of spider capture threads from web anchors by radical changes in silk gland function. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 21: 20240123. [full text]
2024 Miles L, Waterman H, Ayoub NA, Garb JE, Haney RA3, Rosenberg MS, Krabbenhoft TJ, BC Verrelli. Insight into the adaptive role of arachnid genome-wide duplication through chromosome-level genome assembly of the Western black widow spider. Journal of Heredity 115(3):241-252. [full text]
2021 Htut KZ, Alicea-Serrano AM, Singla S, Agnarsson I, Garb JE, Kuntner M, Gregorič M, Haney RA, Marhabaie M, Blackledge TA, A Dhinojwala. Correlation between protein secondary structure and mechanical performance for the ultra-tough dragline silk of Darwin's bark spider. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 18, 20210320. [full text]
2020 Dunaj SJ, Bettencourt BR, Garb JE, Brucker RM. Spider phylosymbiosis: divergence of widow spider species and their tissues' microbiomes. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 20(1):1-17. [full text]
2020 Rivera-de-Torre E, Palacios-Ortega J, Garb JE, Slotte JP, Garvilanes JG, Martinez-del-Pozo A. Structural and functional characterization of sticholysin III: A newly discovered actinoporin within the venom of the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 108435. [full text]
2020 Thomas GWC et al. Gene content evolution in the arthropods. Genome Biology. 21(1):1-14. [full text]
2020 Jaleel Z, Zhou S, Martin-Moldes Z, Baugh LM, Yeh J, Dinjaski N, Brown LT, Garb JE, Kaplan DL. Expanding canonical spider silk properties through a DNA combinatorial approach. Materials. 13(16):3596. [full text]
2019 Garb JE, Haney RA, Schwager EE, Gregoric M, Kuntner M, Agnarsson I, Blackledge TA. The transcriptome of Darwin’s bark spider silk glands predicts proteins contributing to dragline silk toughness. Communications Biology. 2: 275. [full text]
2019 Haney RA, Matte T, Forsyth F, Garb JE. Alternative transcription at venom genes and its role as a complementary mechanism for the generation of venom complexity in the common house spider. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 7:85. [full text]
2018 Garb JE, Sharma PP, Ayoub NA. Recent progress and prospects for advancing arachnid genomics. Current Opinions in Insect Science. 25:51-57. [link]
2017 Schwager E. et al. The house spider genome reveals an ancient whole-genome duplication during arachnid evolution. BMC Biology 15:62 [pdf]
2017 Clarke, T., Garb, JE, Haney RA, Chaw RC, Hayashi CY, NA Ayoub. Evolutionary shifts in gene expression decoupled from gene duplication across functionally distinct spider silk glands. Scientific Reports.7: 8393 [pdf]
2025 Gregorič M, Yu K-P, Rojas Velez W1, JE Garb. Caerostris (Araneidae, Araneae) cryptic diversity shows the need for taxonomic expertise in the genomic era. European Journal of Taxonomy. 989(1), 1–23. [full text]
2024 Wolff JO, Ashley LJ, Schmitt C, Heu C, Denkova D, Jani M, Řezáčová V, Blamires SJ, Gorb SN, Garb JE, Goodacre SL, M Řezáč. From fibres to adhesives: evolution of spider capture threads from web anchors by radical changes in silk gland function. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 21: 20240123. [full text]
2024 Miles L, Waterman H, Ayoub NA, Garb JE, Haney RA3, Rosenberg MS, Krabbenhoft TJ, BC Verrelli. Insight into the adaptive role of arachnid genome-wide duplication through chromosome-level genome assembly of the Western black widow spider. Journal of Heredity 115(3):241-252. [full text]
2021 Htut KZ, Alicea-Serrano AM, Singla S, Agnarsson I, Garb JE, Kuntner M, Gregorič M, Haney RA, Marhabaie M, Blackledge TA, A Dhinojwala. Correlation between protein secondary structure and mechanical performance for the ultra-tough dragline silk of Darwin's bark spider. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 18, 20210320. [full text]
2020 Dunaj SJ, Bettencourt BR, Garb JE, Brucker RM. Spider phylosymbiosis: divergence of widow spider species and their tissues' microbiomes. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 20(1):1-17. [full text]
2020 Rivera-de-Torre E, Palacios-Ortega J, Garb JE, Slotte JP, Garvilanes JG, Martinez-del-Pozo A. Structural and functional characterization of sticholysin III: A newly discovered actinoporin within the venom of the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 108435. [full text]
2020 Thomas GWC et al. Gene content evolution in the arthropods. Genome Biology. 21(1):1-14. [full text]
2020 Jaleel Z, Zhou S, Martin-Moldes Z, Baugh LM, Yeh J, Dinjaski N, Brown LT, Garb JE, Kaplan DL. Expanding canonical spider silk properties through a DNA combinatorial approach. Materials. 13(16):3596. [full text]
2019 Garb JE, Haney RA, Schwager EE, Gregoric M, Kuntner M, Agnarsson I, Blackledge TA. The transcriptome of Darwin’s bark spider silk glands predicts proteins contributing to dragline silk toughness. Communications Biology. 2: 275. [full text]
2019 Haney RA, Matte T, Forsyth F, Garb JE. Alternative transcription at venom genes and its role as a complementary mechanism for the generation of venom complexity in the common house spider. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 7:85. [full text]
2018 Garb JE, Sharma PP, Ayoub NA. Recent progress and prospects for advancing arachnid genomics. Current Opinions in Insect Science. 25:51-57. [link]
2017 Schwager E. et al. The house spider genome reveals an ancient whole-genome duplication during arachnid evolution. BMC Biology 15:62 [pdf]
2017 Clarke, T., Garb, JE, Haney RA, Chaw RC, Hayashi CY, NA Ayoub. Evolutionary shifts in gene expression decoupled from gene duplication across functionally distinct spider silk glands. Scientific Reports.7: 8393 [pdf]
News
The Boston Globe, “UMass Lowell lab spinning research on spider silk” |
ABC News Australia, “Super Tough Spider Silk Could Be Due to a Newly Discovered Protein” |
Contact
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Dr. Jessica Garb
University of Massachusetts Lowell Olsen Hall 198 Riverside St. Lowell, MA 01854 Telephone: (978) 934-2899
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