Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition – 2025 finalists: Arlo Hinckley


Tell us about yourself and your research article  

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Zoology at the Universidad de Sevilla and a research associate in the Division of Mammals at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (USNM). My research integrates fieldwork, laboratory analyses, bioinformatics, and museum collections to investigate the evolutionary processes shaping the origin, maintenance, and distribution of mammalian diversity in tropical Asia.

This study was conducted during my postdoctoral fellowship at the USNM. Together with my colleagues Melissa Hawkins, Mary Faith Flores and Nurul Inayah, we sequenced mitochondrial genomes from multiple Javan pangolin (Manis javanica) historic specimens housed in North American museum collections with three main objectives in mind. First, we aimed to reconstruct the evolutionary history of M. javanica, revealing a previously unknown lineage from the Mentawai Islands that diverged approximately 760,000 years ago. This lineage represents a distinct evolutionarily significant unit, crucial for conservation planning. Secondly, we substantially increased the availability of reference genetic data from multiple regions that were previously unsampled, providing a valuable resource for forensic laboratories in Southeast Asia seeking to trace the geographic origins of trafficked pangolins. Lastly, we expected to identify the origin of a putative, undescribed pangolin species that had been detected previously from sequenced confiscated scales of unknown provenance, but which lacks a type specimen, type locality, and formal taxonomic description. By targeting museum specimens selected to represent under-sampled regions with high endemicity, we hoped to locate a potential type specimen, clarify the distribution of this species, and formally describe it. This objective was not achieved, the provenance of this enigmatic pangolin remains unknown, but at least we narrowed it down a bit!

Did you expect to be a finalist in our competition? And do you recommend that other early career researchers enter this year’s competition?

Given the breadth and consistently high quality of research published in Biology Letters, I was quite surprised to be shortlisted for the ECR Best Paper Prize. It’s a real honour, and I would strongly encourage other early career researchers to take part in future competitions. Opting into the competition requires little extra effort, and this recognition has been very motivating, reinforcing that sharing your work is always worthwhile.

What’s next for you and your work?

We are currently collaborating on an integrative study led by Narayan Prasad Koju that combines genomic and morphological evidence to investigate the evolutionary history and reassess species limits within the Chinese pangolin (M. pentadactyla). I also plan to continue pursuing the identification and formal description of the enigmatic pangolin lineage, with current efforts focused on material from Asian and European museum collections.

That said, I do not anticipate working extensively on pangolins in the long term. Although they are a fascinating group, they receive a disproportionate level of attention, with many researchers concentrating on a relatively small number of taxa. I therefore prefer to focus my efforts on the evolutionary history and species delimitation of less charismatic but more diverse and understudied mammals, particularly rodents, shrews, and treeshrews. In this context, my colleague Melissa Hawkins and I are currently leading several collaborative phylogenomic studies on squirrels and treeshrews, which I hope will contribute to a deeper understanding of both the remarkable mammalian diversity of tropical Asia and the evolutionary processes that foster it.

And finally, do you have any advice for upcoming generations of scientists in your field?

Based on my own experience, here are some things that worked well for me and may be useful to others, bearing in mind that career paths and personal circumstances vary widely:

• If you are unable to secure a position immediately after completing your degree, consider applying for small research or conservation grants, technician positions, or paid internships—especially those that may lead to publications or new skills. I worked as a field and lab tech in several countries, and this experience played an important role in opening the door to a PhD fellowship.
• During your PhD, a research stay abroad can be very valuable, particularly if it allows you to learn techniques not available in your home lab. When possible, it can be helpful to prioritise institutions where you might later consider a postdoc position. Such stays often provide new skills, perspectives, and professional connections, and can also be personally refreshing during challenging phases of a PhD.
• Collaboration and networking are important at all career stages. If you conduct research outside your home region, consider engaging with local researchers and institutions by visiting labs, attending local meetings, or participating in joint activities. When appropriate, offering seminars, co-advising students, contributing to capacity-building efforts, helping curating local natural history collections, or participating in collaborative field campaigns can help build lasting partnerships.
• Staying engaged with the literature in your field is important, but so is rest. Making time for regular breaks, weekends off, and activities that help you disconnect mentally from work is essential.
• Finally, continue applying for funding opportunities and positions throughout your career. Think ahead about your medium-term goals and identify areas where you might want to gain further experience to achieve these, such as international exposure, mentorship, publications, or grants.

The 2026 competition is now open and will run until Tuesday 31 March. Please see our terms and conditions before entering or contact the editorial office with your questions.

Photo credit: Javier Aznar González de Rueda.