Alan Dixson

Professor Alan Dixson's research interests focus upon the evolution of reproduction, with special reference to behaviour, sperm competition and cryptic female choice in mammals.Studies of sexual selection, operating at the copulatory and post-copulatory, levels continue to provide novel insights into the evolution of reproductive anatomy, physiology and behaviour. Comparative studies of the lemurs, monkeys and apes are also be valuable in helping us to understand the evolution of human sexuality. The absence of a fossil record of sexual behaviour is thus not a cause for despair: a huge amount remains to be learned from comparative studies of extant species. A multidisciplinary approach is required, making use of knowledge from across the biological sciences, and a willingness to explore reproduction at all levels, from molecular biology and gamete biology to work on whole organisms, and mating systems.