Edward Susko, Dalhousie University

Research

Adaptive Evolution Bioinformatics Likelihood Methods Mixture Models Model Assessment Molecular Evolution Phylogenetics Resampling Methods

Latest papers

GTRspmix: Capturing Heterogeneity of Exchangeabilities Across Sites to Improve Protein Phylogenetics.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
Modeling Site-and-Branch-Heterogeneity with GFmix.
Systematic biology · 2026
IQ-TREE 3: phylogenomic inference software using complex evolutionary models.
Molecular biology and evolution · 2026

All 66 publications

Latest funding

Statistical Methods for Managing Emerging Infectious Diseases
NSERC · 2020 · Co-investigator
$750,000
Statistical Methods for Molecular Evolution
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$120,000
Genomic, proteomic and microbiomic approaches to understanding the biology and pathogenesis of anaerobic protozoa
CIHR · 2018 · Co-investigator
$1,374,947

All 12 grants and awards

66 publications.

01

GTRspmix: Capturing Heterogeneity of Exchangeabilities Across Sites to Improve Protein Phylogenetics.

Harada R, Susko E, Wong TKF, Baños H, Ly-Trong N, Lanfear R, Theobald DL, Minh BQ, Roger AJ

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

DOI: 10.64898/2026.06.18.729217 PMID: 42367944

02

Modeling Site-and-Branch-Heterogeneity with GFmix.

McCarthy CGP, Susko E, Harada R, Roger AJ

Systematic biology2026

DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syag040 PMID: 42202776

03

IQ-TREE 3: phylogenomic inference software using complex evolutionary models.

Wong TKF, Ly-Trong N, Ren H, Demotte P, Baños H, Roger AJ, Susko E, Bielow C, De Maio N, Goldman N, Hahn MW, Dos Reis M, Vinh LS, Huttley G, Lanfear R, Minh BQ

Molecular biology and evolution2026

DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msag117 PMID: 42085559

04

Comparing partition and mixture models with akaike information criteria.

Susko E, Lanfear R, Roger AJ

Systematic biology2026First author

DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syag013 PMID: 41689510

05

Phylogenomic analyses indicate the archaeal superphylum DPANN originated from free-living euryarchaeal-like ancestors.

Baker BA, McCarthy CGP, López-García P, Leroy RB, Susko E, Roger AJ, Eme L, Moreira D

Nature microbiology2025

DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-02024-5 PMID: 40528005

06

A robustly rooted tree of eukaryotes reveals their excavate ancestry.

Williamson K, Eme L, Baños H, McCarthy CGP, Susko E, Kamikawa R, Orr RJS, Muñoz-Gómez SA, Minh BQ, Simpson AGB, Roger AJ

Nature2025

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08709-5 PMID: 40074902

07

GTRpmix: A Linked General Time-Reversible Model for Profile Mixture Models.

Banos H, Wong TKF, Daneau J, Susko E, Minh BQ, Lanfear R, Brown MW, Eme L, Roger AJ

Molecular biology and evolution2024

DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae174 PMID: 39158305

08

Is Over-parameterization a Problem for Profile Mixture Models?

Baños H, Susko E, Roger AJ

Systematic biology2024

DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syad063 PMID: 37843172

09

Expanded phylogeny of extremely halophilic archaea shows multiple independent adaptations to hypersaline environments.

Baker BA, Gutiérrez-Preciado A, Rodríguez Del Río Á, McCarthy CGP, López-García P, Huerta-Cepas J, Susko E, Roger AJ, Eme L, Moreira D

Nature microbiology2024

DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01647-4 PMID: 38519541

10

Performance of Topology Tests under Extreme Selection Bias.

Markowski E, Susko E

Molecular biology and evolution2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad280 PMID: 38142434

Statistical Methods for Managing Emerging Infectious Diseases

Co-investigatorNSERC2020Emerging Infectious Diseases Modelling Initiative (EIDM)

Principal investigators: Brown, Patrick

$750,000

Statistical Methods for Molecular Evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Susko, Edward

Keywords: Adaptive Evolution; Bioinformatics; Likelihood Methods; Mixture Models; Model Assessment; Molecular Evolution; Phylogenetics; Resampling Methods; Robust Inference; Statistical Theory

$120,000

Genomic, proteomic and microbiomic approaches to understanding the biology and pathogenesis of anaerobic protozoa

Co-investigatorCIHR2018Foundation Grant

Principal investigators: Roger, Andrew J

Keywords: Anaerobiosis; Genome; Host Effector; Lateral Gene Transfer; Localization Of Organelle Proteins By Isotope Tagging; Microbiome; Organelle Function And Evolution; Proteomics; Protozoan Parasites; Transfection

$1,374,947

Statistical Methods for Molecular Evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Susko, Edward

$115,000

High-performance computing cluster for research and training in mathematics and statistics

Co-investigatorNSERC2013Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Kolokolnikov, Theodore

$10,854

Statistical evolutionary bioinformatics

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Susko, Edward

$107,500

An Xserve computer cluster for phlogenetic and comparative genomic analyses

Co-investigatorNSERC2007Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Roger, Andrew

$55,591

Upgrade of sun computer system with new cluster

Co-investigatorNSERC2004Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Field, Christopher

$63,200

Mixture models and molecular evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2003Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Susko, Edward

$95,000

Sun server for system upgrade

Co-investigatorNSERC2001Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Field, Christopher

$70,476

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

Mathematics and Statistics
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biochimie et médecine moléculaire
Pathology
Biology

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

Christian Blouin

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2 shared papers, latest 2013

Graham Dellaire

Pathology

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Joseph Bielawski

Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Gertraud Burger

Biochimie et médecine moléculaire

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Hong Gu

Mathematics and Statistics

1 shared papers, latest 2005

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2019

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Adaptive Evolution Dear Professor Susko, 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 "GTRspmix: Capturing Heterogeneity of Exchangeabilities Across Sites to Improve Protein Phylogenetics." (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.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Statistical Methods for Molecular Evolution" (2019), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. 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]