* corresponding author 

  • Samuelson K, *Hanlon SL. B chromosomes put the ‘super’ in supernumerary. Trends in Genetics, 2026 Jul 24:S0168-9525(26)00171-X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2026.07.002 Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42498533 (open access).
  • *Ferree PM, *Hanlon SL. New insights into how unconventional chromosomes behave in odd ways. Heredity. 2026 Jul 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-026-00863-4 Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42426336.
    • Part of the Special Issue on "Unconventional Chromosomes and the Genetic Features Driving Their Extraordinary Behavior" co-edited by P.M. Ferree and S.L. Hanlon.
  • Ferretti ABSM, Milani D, Martí E, Thais Alves-Gomes R, Vibranovski MD, *Hanlon SL, *Cabral-de-Mello DC Comparative genomic analysis and epigenetic profiling of the Drosophila melanogaster B chromosome. Genetics, 2026;, iyag113, https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyag113 PMID: 42085563 (open access).
  • Warsinger-Pepe N, *Hanlon SL. Properties and Prospects of B Chromosomes. Annu Rev Genet. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-013026-085256 PMID: 42378843.
  • Hanlon S. L.*, and R. S. Hawley. B chromosomes reveal a female meiotic drive suppression system in Drosophila melanogaster. Curr. Biology 33, 2300-2306.e5 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.028  PDF
    • Highlighted by a Dispatch article: Ferree P. Cell biology: Selfish B chromosomes unleashed by a dysfunctional chromosome segregation system. Curr. Biology 33, R431–R434 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.034  PDF
  • Hanlon, S.L.*, Larracuente, A.M. When it comes to genetics, cheaters do prosper. Chromosome Res 30, 137–139 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-022-09705-5 PDF
  • Peterson, S. C.**; K. B. Samuelson**, and S.L. Hanlon*. (2021) Multi-Scale Organization of the Drosophila melanogaster Genome. Special issue on "Chromosome-Centric View of the Genome Organization and Evolution" in Genes 12, no. 6: 817. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12060817 PDF
    ** equal contribution

Pre-UConn (graduate and postdoctoral studies)

  • Lima L. G. de, S. L. Hanlon, and J. L. Gerton, 2020 Origins and Evolutionary Patterns of the 1.688 Satellite DNA Family in Drosophila Phylogeny. G3 (Bethesda). g3.401727.2020. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.120.401727 PDF 
  • Hanlon S. L.*, and R. S. Hawley, 2018 B chromosomes in the Drosophila genus. Genes (Basel). 9: 1. – 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9100470 PDF
    * corresponding author
  • Hanlon S. L.*, D. E. Miller, S. Eche, and R. S. Hawley, 2018 Origin, composition, and structure of the supernumerary B chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 210: 1197–1212. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.118.301478  PDF
    * corresponding author - Chosen by GENETICS editors as one of the December 2018 Highlights
  • Hanlon S. L., and J. J.Li, 2015 Re-replication of a Centromere Induces Chromosomal Instability and Aneuploidy. PLoS Genet. 11: 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1005039 PDF

Essential Reading

In Hanlon and Hawley (2023), the B chromosomes were used to reveal a meiotic drive suppression system in D. melanogaster.  These drive suppression systems are critical for preventing a genetic renegade, like a B chromosome, from taking over a population and reducing an organism's fitness for its own gain.  The Hanlon Lab is using these B chromosomes to molecularly characterize this suppression system, as well as understand how chromosomes rearrange and form de novo to provide a critical new avenue of investigation into chromosome instability and karytype evolution.

Data showing that the B chromosome transmission is Mendelian (~50%) in a wild-type (WT) background, but transmission is significantly elevated (~64%) in a genetic background permissive for meiotic drive (mtrm[126]/TM3).  Adapted from Figure 1F in: Hanlon SL, Hawley RS (2023) B chromosomes reveal a female meiotic drive suppression system in Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biology 33:2300-2306.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.028