With a series of articles in major international science journals, Gregory is in the vanguard of evolutionary studies into why there is such a large variation in the amounts of DNA in different animals (salamanders, for example, have twenty times as much DNA as humans). He wants to understand what this "genome diversity" means for animal body form, metabolism and development.

As part of his Ph.D. research, he compiled the world's largest database of animal genome sizes. Using a new computerized image analysis technique, he made first time measurements of the genomes of about 400 invertebrates, ranging from insects to spiders to earthworms. His online collection includes about 3,000 animals and has become a critical resource for scientists worldwide.

Original story: http://www.nserc.ca/news/2003/p030328.htm