Invited speakers

Dr Mike Bunce

Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, Curtin University, Western Australia

Professor Bunce’s research interests and expertise revolve around using DNA sequencing technologies on trace, environmental and forensic substrates to address a variety of biological questions.

He has worked on a diverse variety of projects with the common theme of extracting and amplifying degraded DNA – these include studies of extinct species, DNA from ice/sediment cores and characterising DNA in herbal medicines.

Dr Michael Schwartz

Director, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Montana, USA

Michael’s research has been focused on the fields of population, conservation, and landscape genetics/genomics, with an emphasis on research that provides practical answers to natural resource problems. He has tried to combine his molecular ecology work, which often takes place in the laboratory, with a strong field component, as he believes that we derive the best scientific understandings of species and ecosystems through the amalgamation of field and laboratory methods.

Dr Maria-Nefeli Tsaloglou

Scientific Director, Diagnostics for All, United States

Diagnostics For All (DFA) is a non-profit enterprise fusing biotechnology and device development, dedicated to saving lives and improving health in the developing world.

Dr Tsaloglou research expertise covers molecular biology, microbiology and biochemical assay development.

Her research has included the development and testing of microfluidic devices.

Dr Ido Bar

Research Fellow, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Australia

Ido Bar is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Environmental Futures Research Institute at Griffith University. His research is focused on the study of productivity-limiting factors in agriculture and aquaculture species, using molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics methods. Current projects include genomic analysis of the defence response to Ascochyta Blight in legumes and development of molecular biosensors for in-field pathogen diagnostics. Some of his past projects include development of surrogate technology for the Southern bluefin tuna, sex development in giant groupers, mantle production in pearl oyster and more. Ido’s research is strongly aligned with major industry partners and supported by government research funds.

Dr Bruce Deagle

Research Scientist, Australian Antarctic Division, Tasmania, Australia

Since 2014 Bruce has been working as a research scientist within the ecological genetics group at the Antarctic Division. He is currently involved in continuing studies of animal diet (primarily penguins and seals) and Antarctic krill ecological genetics (population structuring and genetic responses to CO2-induced stress). He is also excited to be coordinating a new Australian Antarctic Science project that is investigating Southern Ocean plankton biodiversity using high-throughput DNA sequencing. This will include studies characterising communities of single-celled protists and zooplankton, and the bycatch species component of the Antarctic krill fishery.