In this program, students learn sophisticated laboratory techniques and analytical methods of conservation genetics in order to assess the conservation status of a wide array of organisms, reconstruct phylogenies, elucidate patterns and levels of differentiation between geographically isolated populations, and investigate demographic parameters of populations.
Students use genetic data in connection with morphological, behavioral, ecological and environmental data to gain a multidisciplinary understanding of organisms and their environment.
Laboratory Operations
The conservation genetics laboratory is equipped with state of the art instrumentation to carry out genetic analyses using nucleic acids.
As part of the program, students learn to use these instruments and methods as well as to interpret the data. Program highlights include:
- extracting DNA from different animals, plants and bacteria
- performing genetic analysis, such as PCR, RT-PCR, DNA sequencing and fragment analysis
- analyzing and interpreting genetic data using a suite of specifically-designed software packages
Research within the lab is conducted by volunteers, work-study and senior thesis students.