Lecture Series to Discuss the Role of Wildlife Genetics in the Conservation of Threatened Species

FLPanther

The upcoming Climate-Sustainability Lecture Series, hosted by the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, will explore how scientists are using the application of powerful new genetic technologies to uncover the perils afflicting dwindling wildlife species.

 “A Moving Landscape of Wildlife Genetics; Uncommon Stories—Cheetahs, Tigers, and Florida Panthers”

Speaker: Stephen J. O’Brien, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer | Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics
St. Petersburg University | St. Petersburg, Russia

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015
Noon–1:00 p.m.
Mailman-Hollywood Building | Second Floor Auditorium

Dwindling wildlife species across the planet have become a cause célèbre for conservation groups, governments, and concerned citizens worldwide. The application of powerful new genetic technologies to surviving populations has revolutionized scientists’ ability to recognize hidden perils that afflict these threatened mammals.

This lecture will connect some recent applications of conservation genetics and natural history to uncover long-forgotten adaptive adventures that left their footprints in the genomes of tigers, cheetahs, and the Florida panther. Illustrative examples will describe how scientists employ genomic technologies to explore the natural history of these species and apply the findings directly to conservation management. The mix of conservation, global politics, and science reasoning makes for fascinating narratives with lessons for stabilizing and sustaining our fragile wildlife species.

About the Lecture Series

The Climate-Sustainability Lecture Series highlights understanding of the science, technology, and policies relating to climate change and sustainable development. Experts in related fields from within NSU and other institutions are the featured speakers. The series provides faculty members and students the opportunity to discuss the scientific, technological, social, and policy aspects of sustainability-related issues.

For more information, contact Song Gao, Ph.D., associate professor at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, at (954) 262-8388.

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