Michael Doebeli, University of British Columbia

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of British Columbia profile.

Latest papers

Evolution of Cooperation in Spatially Structured Group-Selection Models of the Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma.
Bulletin of mathematical biology · 2026 · senior author
Evolutionary branching in multi-level selection models.
Journal of mathematical biology · 2024 · senior author
Fission as a source of variation for group selection.
Evolution; international journal of organic evolution · 2024 · senior author

All 69 publications

Latest funding

From microevolutionary processes to macroevolutionary patterns: modelling long-term evolution driven by ecological adaptation
NSERC · 2018 · Principal investigator
$570,000
Evolutionary dynamics in complex phenotype spaces
NSERC · 2013 · Principal investigator
$395,000
The evolution of religion and morality
SSHRC · 2011 · Co-investigator
$2,999,280

All 8 grants and awards

69 publications.

01

Evolution of Cooperation in Spatially Structured Group-Selection Models of the Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma.

Ispolatov Y, Simon B, Doebeli M

Bulletin of mathematical biology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-026-01750-z PMID: 42717130

02

Evolutionary branching in multi-level selection models.

Simon B, Ispolatov Y, Doebeli M

Journal of mathematical biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00285-024-02145-1 PMID: 39384624

03

Fission as a source of variation for group selection.

Simon B, Ispolatov Y, Doebeli M

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae087 PMID: 38860610

04

On the evolutionary emergence of predation.

Ispolatov Y, Doebeli C, Doebeli M

Journal of theoretical biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2023.111578 PMID: 37437709

05

Conceptual and empirical bridges between micro- and macroevolution.

Rolland J, Henao-Diaz LF, Doebeli M, Germain R, Harmon LJ, Knowles LL, Liow LH, Mank JE, Machac A, Otto SP, Pennell M, Salamin N, Silvestro D, Sugawara M, Uyeda J, Wagner CE, Schluter D

Nature ecology & evolution2023

DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02116-7 PMID: 37429904

06

Adaptive diversification and niche packing on rugged fitness landscapes.

Rubin IN, Ispolatov Y, Doebeli M

Journal of theoretical biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2023.111421 PMID: 36754345

07

Maximal ecological diversity exceeds evolutionary diversity in model ecosystems.

Rubin IN, Ispolatov Y, Doebeli M

Ecology letters2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1111/ele.14156 PMID: 36737422

08

On the Ecological Significance of Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Microbial Populations Undergoing Starvation.

Opalek M, Smug B, Doebeli M, Wloch-Salamon D

Microbiology spectrum2022

DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00450-21 PMID: 35019773

09

Spatial social dilemmas promote diversity.

Hauert C, Doebeli M

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105252118 PMID: 34649992

10

Multilevel selection favors fragmentation modes that maintain cooperative interactions in multispecies communities.

Henriques GJB, van Vliet S, Doebeli M

PLoS computational biology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008896 PMID: 34516543

From microevolutionary processes to macroevolutionary patterns: modelling long-term evolution driven by ecological adaptation

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$570,000

Evolutionary dynamics in complex phenotype spaces

Principal investigatorNSERC2013Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$395,000

The evolution of religion and morality

Co-investigatorSSHRC2011Partnership Grants

Keywords: religion; morality; evolution of religion; cognitive science of religion; prosociality; cultural evolution; gene-culture coevolution

$2,999,280

Computation and visualization in pure and applied mathematics

Principal investigatorNSERC2010Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$48,530

Evolution of diversity

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Accelerator Supplements

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$120,000

Evolution of diversity

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$221,625

Adaptive speciation and the dynamics of spatially structured populations: theory and experiments

Principal investigatorNSERC2003Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$185,000

Speciation, spatial structure, and the evolution of cooperation: complex systems theory and evolutionary experiments

Principal investigatorNSERC1999Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$148,344

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Department of Zoology at UBC
Mathematics
Biology
Botany

Co-authors at University of British Columbia, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Rachel Germain

Department of Zoology at UBC

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Dolph Schluter

Department of Zoology at UBC

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Ehab Abouheif

Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Write to this professor

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Subject: Prospective PhD student Dear Professor Doebeli, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Evolution of Cooperation in Spatially Structured Group-Selection Models of the Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Michael Doebeli

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Evolution of Cooperation in Spatially Structured Group-Selection Models of the Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma.

Evolutionary branching in multi-level selection models.

Fission as a source of variation for group selection.

On the evolutionary emergence of predation.

Conceptual and empirical bridges between micro- and macroevolution.

Adaptive diversification and niche packing on rugged fitness landscapes.

Maximal ecological diversity exceeds evolutionary diversity in model ecosystems.

On the Ecological Significance of Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Microbial Populations Undergoing Starvation.

Spatial social dilemmas promote diversity.

Multilevel selection favors fragmentation modes that maintain cooperative interactions in multispecies communities.

From microevolutionary processes to macroevolutionary patterns: modelling long-term evolution driven by ecological adaptation

Evolutionary dynamics in complex phenotype spaces

The evolution of religion and morality

Computation and visualization in pure and applied mathematics

Evolution of diversity

Evolution of diversity

Adaptive speciation and the dynamics of spatially structured populations: theory and experiments

Speciation, spatial structure, and the evolution of cooperation: complex systems theory and evolutionary experiments

Frequent collaborators

Christoph Hauert

Laura Wegener Parfrey

Rachel Germain

Dolph Schluter

Ehab Abouheif