Nicolas Dussex

Conservation and sustainability through metagenomic data

I am an evolutionary biologist and conservation geneticist with a strong interest in the evolution of small populations, the genome-wide effects of population declines on population fitness and persistence. Over the past few years, my research has focused on the genomics of endangered (e.g. Sumatran rhinoceros, kakapo, Svalbard reindeer), harvested (e.g. moose) and extinct species (e.g. huia) as well as the genomic basis of adaptation (e.g. woolly rhinoceros) using temporal genomics approaches to study the evolution of populations in real time. I am also interested in using comparative and ‘macrogenetics’ approaches to assess climate and anthropogenic impacts on whole ecosystems.

At CGI, I will carry out genetic analyses for a number of conservation and monitoring projects using whole genome and metagenomic data (e.g., eDNA, microbiome). These projects will focus on a number of organisms ranging from vertebrates (e.g., bear, porpoise, seals) to invertebrates (e.g., pollinators) as well as on various plant species.