Evolution usually favors "selfish" individuals that outcompete others, but it has nevertheless forged highly cooperative entities like social insect colonies, multicellular organisms, and the eukaryotic cell. I am interested in how cooperation and altruism evolve, with questions ranging from the genetic and molecular details of cooperation in social amoebas up to the nature of organisms. In empirical studies with Joan Strassmann, we have largely shifted from work on social insects to social amoebas. This gives us the opportunity to do experimental evolution studies and to study cooperation, cheating, and kin recognition at the genetic, molecular and genomic levels. On the theoretical side, I explore this evolution of cooperation with models using population genetics, inclusive fitness, or game theory. 

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