diff --git a/src/actions/tree.js b/src/actions/tree.js
index a5f7de910..d40b51814 100644
--- a/src/actions/tree.js
+++ b/src/actions/tree.js
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ export const applyFilter = (mode, trait, values) => {
     }
     dispatch({type: types.APPLY_FILTER, trait, values: newValues});
     dispatch(updateVisibleTipsAndBranchThicknesses());
+    // FIXME: re-focus with one of the above dispatches or new dispatch
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/src/actions/types.js b/src/actions/types.js
index 10a71d8db..cf40b7aeb 100644
--- a/src/actions/types.js
+++ b/src/actions/types.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export const SEARCH_INPUT_CHANGE = "SEARCH_INPUT_CHANGE";
 export const CHANGE_LAYOUT = "CHANGE_LAYOUT";
 export const CHANGE_BRANCH_LABEL = "CHANGE_BRANCH_LABEL";
 export const CHANGE_DISTANCE_MEASURE = "CHANGE_DISTANCE_MEASURE";
+export const TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS = "TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS";
 export const CHANGE_DATES_VISIBILITY_THICKNESS = "CHANGE_DATES_VISIBILITY_THICKNESS";
 export const CHANGE_ABSOLUTE_DATE_MIN = "CHANGE_ABSOLUTE_DATE_MIN";
 export const CHANGE_ABSOLUTE_DATE_MAX = "CHANGE_ABSOLUTE_DATE_MAX";
diff --git a/src/components/tree/index.ts b/src/components/tree/index.ts
index 3bfb1e7ca..db4fef0bb 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/index.ts
+++ b/src/components/tree/index.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const Tree = connect((state: RootState) => ({
   temporalConfidence: state.controls.temporalConfidence,
   distanceMeasure: state.controls.distanceMeasure,
   explodeAttr: state.controls.explodeAttr,
+  treeFocus: state.controls.treeFocus,
   colorScale: state.controls.colorScale,
   colorings: state.metadata.colorings,
   genomeMap: state.entropy.genomeMap,
diff --git a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.js b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.js
index a3a0c4277..6613d56af 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/change.js
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ export const change = function change({
   /* change these things to provided value (unless undefined) */
   newDistance = undefined,
   newLayout = undefined,
+  newTreeFocus = undefined,
   updateLayout = undefined, // todo - this seems identical to `newLayout`
   newBranchLabellingKey = undefined,
   showAllBranchLabels = undefined,
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ export const change = function change({
     svgPropsToUpdate.add("stroke-width");
     nodePropsToModify["stroke-width"] = branchThickness;
   }
-  if (newDistance || newLayout || updateLayout || zoomIntoClade || svgHasChangedDimensions || changeNodeOrder) {
+  if (newDistance || newLayout || newTreeFocus || updateLayout || zoomIntoClade || svgHasChangedDimensions || changeNodeOrder) {
     elemsToUpdate.add(".tip").add(".branch.S").add(".branch.T").add(".branch");
     elemsToUpdate.add(".vaccineCross").add(".vaccineDottedLine").add(".conf");
     elemsToUpdate.add('.branchLabel').add('.tipLabel');
@@ -359,8 +360,10 @@ export const change = function change({
   /* run calculations as needed - these update properties on the phylotreeNodes (similar to updateNodesWithNewData) */
   /* distance */
   if (newDistance || updateLayout) this.setDistance(newDistance);
-  /* layout (must run after distance) */
-  if (newDistance || newLayout || updateLayout || changeNodeOrder) {
+  /* treeFocus */
+  if (newTreeFocus || updateLayout) this.setTreeFocus(newTreeFocus);
+  /* layout (must run after distance and treeFocus) */
+  if (newDistance || newLayout || newTreeFocus || updateLayout || changeNodeOrder) {
     this.setLayout(newLayout || this.layout, scatterVariables);
   }
   /* show confidences - set this param which actually adds the svg paths for
@@ -377,6 +380,7 @@ export const change = function change({
     newDistance ||
     newLayout ||
     changeNodeOrder ||
+    newTreeFocus ||
     updateLayout ||
     zoomIntoClade ||
     svgHasChangedDimensions ||
diff --git a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/layouts.js b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/layouts.js
index 226ae2352..aadd61e93 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/layouts.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/layouts.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { timerStart, timerEnd } from "../../../util/perf";
 import { getTraitFromNode, getDivFromNode } from "../../../util/treeMiscHelpers";
 import { stemParent, nodeOrdering } from "./helpers";
 import { numDate } from "../../../util/colorHelpers";
+import { NODE_VISIBLE } from "../../../util/globals";
 
 /**
  * assigns the attribute this.layout and calls the function that
@@ -288,6 +289,58 @@ export const setDistance = function setDistance(distanceAttribute) {
   timerEnd("setDistance");
 };
 
+/**
+ * given nodes add y values (node.displayOrder) to every node
+ * Nodes are the phyloTree nodes (i.e. node.n is the redux node)
+ * Nodes must have parent child links established (via createChildrenAndParents)
+ * PhyloTree can subsequently use this information. Accessed by prototypes
+ * rectangularLayout, radialLayout, createChildrenAndParents
+ * side effects: node.displayOrder and node.displayOrderRange (i.e. in the phyloTree node)
+ */
+export const calcYValues = (nodes, focus) => {
+  // console.log("calcYValues started with ", spacing);
+  let total = 0; /* cumulative counter of y value at tip */
+  let calcY; /* fn called calcY(node) to return some amount of y value at a tip */
+  if (focus && 'visibility' in nodes[0]) {
+    const numberOfTips = nodes.length;
+    const numTipsVisible = nodes.filter((d) => !d.hasChildren && d.visibility === NODE_VISIBLE).length;
+    const yPerVisible = (0.8 * numberOfTips) / numTipsVisible;
+    const yPerNotVisible = (0.2 * numberOfTips) / (numberOfTips - numTipsVisible);
+    calcY = (node) => {
+      total += node.visibility === NODE_VISIBLE ? yPerVisible : yPerNotVisible;
+      return total;
+    };
+  } else { /* fall back to no focus */
+    calcY = () => ++total;
+  }
+
+  const recurse = (node) => {
+    const children = node.n.children; // (redux) tree node
+    if (children && children.length) {
+      for (let i = children.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+        recurse(children[i].shell);
+      }
+    } else {
+      node.displayOrder = calcY(node);
+      node.displayOrderRange = [node.displayOrder, node.displayOrder];
+      return;
+    }
+    /* if here, then all children have yvalues, but we dont. */
+    node.displayOrder = children.reduce((acc, d) => acc + d.shell.displayOrder, 0) / children.length;
+    node.displayOrderRange = [children[0].shell.displayOrder, children[children.length - 1].shell.displayOrder];
+  };
+  recurse(nodes[0]);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Recalculates y values based on focus setting
+ * @param treeFocus -- whether to focus on filtered nodes
+ */
+export const setTreeFocus = function setTreeFocus(treeFocus) {
+  timerStart("setTreeFocus");
+  calcYValues(this.nodes, treeFocus || false);
+  timerEnd("setTreeFocus");
+};
 
 /**
  * Initializes and sets the range of the scales (this.xScale, this.yScale)
diff --git a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/phyloTree.js b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/phyloTree.js
index 9c1129c02..c91224fbd 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/phyloTree.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/phyloTree.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ PhyloTree.prototype.updateColorBy = renderers.updateColorBy;
 /* C A L C U L A T E    G E O M E T R I E S  E T C   ( M O D I F I E S    N O D E S ,    N O T    S V G ) */
 PhyloTree.prototype.setDistance = layouts.setDistance;
 PhyloTree.prototype.setLayout = layouts.setLayout;
+PhyloTree.prototype.setTreeFocus = layouts.setTreeFocus;
 PhyloTree.prototype.rectangularLayout = layouts.rectangularLayout;
 PhyloTree.prototype.scatterplotLayout = layouts.scatterplotLayout;
 PhyloTree.prototype.unrootedLayout = layouts.unrootedLayout;
diff --git a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/renderers.js b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/renderers.js
index c955cc978..c4d2796ba 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/phyloTree/renderers.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/phyloTree/renderers.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { getEmphasizedColor } from "../../../util/colorHelpers";
  * @param {d3 selection} svg      -- the svg into which the tree is drawn
  * @param {string} layout         -- the layout to be used, e.g. "rect"
  * @param {string} distance       -- the property used as branch length, e.g. div or num_date
+ * @param {string} treeFocus      -- whether to focus on filtered nodes
  * @param {object} parameters     -- an object that contains options that will be added to this.params
  * @param {object} callbacks      -- an object with call back function defining mouse behavior
  * @param {array} branchThickness -- array of branch thicknesses (same ordering as tree nodes)
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ import { getEmphasizedColor } from "../../../util/colorHelpers";
  * @param {object} scatterVariables  -- {x, y} properties to map nodes => scatterplot (only used if layout="scatter")
  * @return {null}
  */
-export const render = function render(svg, layout, distance, parameters, callbacks, branchThickness, visibility, drawConfidence, vaccines, branchStroke, tipStroke, tipFill, tipRadii, dateRange, scatterVariables) {
+export const render = function render(svg, layout, distance, treeFocus, parameters, callbacks, branchThickness, visibility, drawConfidence, vaccines, branchStroke, tipStroke, tipFill, tipRadii, dateRange, scatterVariables) {
   timerStart("phyloTree render()");
   this.svg = svg;
   this.params = Object.assign(this.params, parameters);
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export const render = function render(svg, layout, distance, parameters, callbac
   /* set x, y values & scale them to the screen */
   setDisplayOrder(this.nodes);
   this.setDistance(distance);
+  this.setTreeFocus(treeFocus);
   this.setLayout(layout, scatterVariables);
   this.mapToScreen();
 
diff --git a/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/change.js b/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/change.js
index 07bff8b1b..5fdd7e31c 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/change.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/change.js
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ export const changePhyloTreeViaPropsComparison = (mainTree, phylotree, oldProps,
     args.changeNodeOrder = true;
   }
 
+  /* change treeFocus behavior */
+  // FIXME: re-focus when:
+  // 1. filters have changed or been removed
+  // 2. zoom level has changed
+  if (oldProps.treeFocus !== newProps.treeFocus) {
+    args.newTreeFocus = newProps.treeFocus;
+    args.updateLayout = true;
+  }
+
   /* change in key used to define branch labels, tip labels */
   if (oldProps.canRenderBranchLabels===true && newProps.canRenderBranchLabels===false) {
     args.newBranchLabellingKey = "none";
diff --git a/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/initialRender.js b/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/initialRender.js
index b85dd9917..87b5b4b95 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/initialRender.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/reactD3Interface/initialRender.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const renderTree = (that, main, phylotree, props) => {
     select(ref),
     props.layout,
     props.distanceMeasure,
+    props.treeFocus,
     { /* parameters (modifies PhyloTree's defaults) */
       grid: true,
       confidence: props.temporalConfidence.display,
diff --git a/src/components/tree/tree.js b/src/components/tree/tree.js
index f53ff72ce..0281102b0 100644
--- a/src/components/tree/tree.js
+++ b/src/components/tree/tree.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React from "react";
 import { withTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { FaSearchMinus } from "react-icons/fa";
 import { updateVisibleTipsAndBranchThicknesses } from "../../actions/tree";
+import { TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS } from "../../actions/types";
 import Card from "../framework/card";
 import Legend from "./legend/legend";
 import PhyloTree from "./phyloTree/phyloTree";
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ class Tree extends React.Component {
   }
 
   redrawTree = () => {
+    this.props.dispatch({ type: TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS, focus: false });
     this.props.dispatch(updateVisibleTipsAndBranchThicknesses({
       root: [0, 0]
     }));
@@ -127,6 +129,8 @@ class Tree extends React.Component {
 
     const activeResetTreeButton = anyTreeZoomed;
 
+    const activeFocusButton = true;
+
     return {
       treeButtonsDiv: {
         zIndex: 100,
@@ -148,6 +152,13 @@ class Tree extends React.Component {
         color: activeZoomButton ? darkGrey : lightGrey,
         pointerEvents: activeZoomButton ? "auto" : "none"
       },
+      focusOnSelectedButton: {
+        zIndex: 100,
+        display: "inline-block",
+        cursor: activeFocusButton ? "pointer" : "auto",
+        color: activeFocusButton ? darkGrey : lightGrey,
+        pointerEvents: activeFocusButton ? "auto" : "none"
+      },
       zoomOutButton: {
         zIndex: 100,
         display: "inline-block",
@@ -171,6 +182,10 @@ class Tree extends React.Component {
     );
   }
 
+  toggleFocus = () => {
+    this.props.dispatch({ type: TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS });
+  };
+
   zoomToSelected = () => {
     this.props.dispatch(updateVisibleTipsAndBranchThicknesses({
       root: [this.props.tree.idxOfFilteredRoot, this.props.treeToo.idxOfFilteredRoot]
@@ -262,6 +277,12 @@ class Tree extends React.Component {
             >
               {t("Zoom to Selected")}
             </button>
+            <button
+              style={{...tabSingle, ...styles.focusOnSelectedButton}}
+              onClick={this.toggleFocus}
+            >
+              {this.props.treeFocus ? t("Reset Focus") : t("Focus on Selected")}
+            </button>
             <button
               style={{...tabSingle, ...styles.resetTreeButton}}
               onClick={this.redrawTree}
diff --git a/src/reducers/controls.ts b/src/reducers/controls.ts
index 6682271a0..ff31f541f 100644
--- a/src/reducers/controls.ts
+++ b/src/reducers/controls.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { defaultGeoResolution,
   defaultDateRange,
   defaultDistanceMeasure,
   defaultLayout,
+  defaultTreeFocus,
   controlsHiddenWidth,
   strainSymbol,
   twoColumnBreakpoint } from "../util/globals";
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ export interface BasicControlsState {
   panelsToDisplay: string[]
   showTreeToo: boolean
   canTogglePanelLayout: boolean
+  treeFocus: boolean
 
   // This allows arbitrary prop names while TypeScript adoption is incomplete.
   // TODO: add all other props explicitly and remove this.
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ export const getDefaultControlsState = () => {
   const defaults: Partial<ControlsState> = {
     distanceMeasure: defaultDistanceMeasure,
     layout: defaultLayout,
+    treeFocus: defaultTreeFocus,
     geoResolution: defaultGeoResolution,
     filters: {},
     filtersInFooter: [],
@@ -70,6 +73,7 @@ export const getDefaultControlsState = () => {
     layout: defaults.layout,
     scatterVariables: {},
     distanceMeasure: defaults.distanceMeasure,
+    treeFocus: defaults.treeFocus,
     dateMin,
     dateMinNumeric,
     dateMax,
@@ -192,7 +196,15 @@ const Controls = (state: ControlsState = getDefaultControlsState(), action): Con
       }
       return Object.assign({}, state, updatesToState);
     }
-      case types.CHANGE_DATES_VISIBILITY_THICKNESS: {
+    case types.TOGGLE_TREE_FOCUS:
+      let newValue = !state.treeFocus;
+      if ("focus" in action) {
+        newValue = action.focus;
+      }
+      return Object.assign({}, state, {
+        treeFocus: newValue
+      });
+    case types.CHANGE_DATES_VISIBILITY_THICKNESS: {
       const newDates: Partial<ControlsState> = { quickdraw: action.quickdraw };
       if (action.dateMin) {
         newDates.dateMin = action.dateMin;
diff --git a/src/util/globals.js b/src/util/globals.js
index da8964366..19483e9ce 100644
--- a/src/util/globals.js
+++ b/src/util/globals.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export const defaultColorBy = "country";
 export const defaultGeoResolution = "country";
 export const defaultLayout = "rect";
 export const defaultDistanceMeasure = "num_date";
+export const defaultTreeFocus = false;
 export const defaultDateRange = 6;
 export const date_select = true;
 export const file_prefix = "Zika_";