Tagged: genomics

Better understanding bacterial blooms in New Zealand waterways - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Jul 13, 2020 •

• bacteria,
• cyanobacteria,
• genomics,
• microorganisms,
• research,
• University of Auckland,
• Water quality

Dr Kim Handley, University of Auckland Just how do cyanobacteria live in their natural habitat, and how do they coexist with other bacteria and microbial life forms? And what difference will knowledge on this bacteria have on maintaining New Zealand’s water quality? One of the consequences of declining water quality is an increase in cyanobacteria – these are photosynthetic bacteria … Read More

Genomic breakthrough in invasive species management - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Apr 15, 2020 •

• genomics,
• Predator-Free,
• Rattus Rattus,
• ship rat,
• ship rat genome

Nick Kachel The ship rat, or black rat, is one of the most infamous invasive species in the world. They’re intelligent, adaptable, and they multiply like… well… ship rats. A native to the Indian sub-continent, this pest has now spread to every corner of the globe and is an outstanding carrier for multiple zoonotic diseases – those which can be … Read More

The importance of the humble blueberry - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Feb 26, 2020 •

• blueberries,
• cranberries,
• genomics,
• Plant & Food Research

Dr David Chagné New Zealand is involved in a US$12.8 million USDA grant to improve the quality of blueberry and cranberry. The four-year project, led by North Carolina State University, is part of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which funds multi-year, multi-institutional collaborative projects. Genomics Aotearoa and Plant and Food Research Ltd have … Read More

Finish what’s on your plate - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Nov 04, 2019 •

• DNA sequences,
• fungi,
• genomics

Murray Cox Do I have to finish my favourite genome? That’s an often-asked question. Geneticists generally strive to produce high-quality genomes that sequence every last gene, making full use of the state-of-the-art technologies coming on stream. Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks – called “bases” – that make up the DNA molecule. The sequence … Read More

Genomics, genetic persistence and the hihi - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Aug 20, 2019 •

• conservation,
• genetic diversity,
• genomics,
• hihi,
• stitchbird

Dr Anna Santure, University of Auckland How important is genetic diversity to species persistence? This is a question we’ve been puzzling over in New Zealand, and worldwide, for some decades. It has been difficult to address using ‘traditional’ approaches to determine genetic diversity, which sample just a handful of positions in the genome. However, in recent years, with much lower … Read More

Don’t ignore the ‘omics - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Jul 23, 2019 •

• genomics,
• health inequities,
• healthcare,
• Māori,
• medical genomics

Professor Cristin Print ‘Omics technologies are an advance that few health practitioners can ignore. The last five years has seen an expanding range of technological advances. Genomics and related ‘omic technologies are rapidly penetrating into the mainstream of primary and secondary care and transforming our knowledge of disease through research. Some of these new technologies are destined to be used … Read More

Why it’s important to have Māori-led capacity in genomics research - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Mar 06, 2019 •

• genomics,
• Māori,
• SING Aotearoa

Dr Phillip Wilcox Genomics research is an emerging frontier that will mean applications such as personalised medicine being developed for New Zealand-specific problems, and something that will see an increasing focus on the needs of Māori populations. However, Māori are significantly under-represented in genomic sciences. One successful way of building capability to improve understanding of … Read More

What and why is Genomics Aotearoa? - Genomics Aotearoa

Peter Dearden • Nov 02, 2018 •

• DNA,
• genomics,
• Otago

This is the first posting of a blog provided by members of the newly formed New Zealand research organisation; Genomics Aotearoa (GA). GA is an MBIE platform to improve the use of genomics and bioinformatics in New Zealand, and part of what we do it talking about what might be able to be achieved with these sciences. Why should you … Read More

When did humans first leave Africa? - News

John Kerr • Sep 22, 2016 •

• dipersal,
• evolution,
• genomics,
• human evolution,
• Human genetics,
• out of Africa

Where did we come from and when did we leave there? These existential questions are at the heart of several human genetics studies published today in the leading journal Nature, all with links to New Zealand. Tracing our genetic roots The now widely accepted ‘Out of Africa’ hypothesis puts Africa as the origin of all modern humans. However, there is still debate … Read More

Why isn’t there a gene for depression? - Guest Work

Guest Author • Sep 14, 2016 •

• Depression,
• DNA,
• genetics,
• genomics,
• Mental health,
• mental illness,
• nature vs nuture

Sarah Bailey, University of Bath Depression is sometimes categorised as a mental, rather than a physical illness – as though somehow mental health is different from physical health. But the brain is not a magical black box inside your head. It is an organ, just like the heart or lungs, made up of cells and supplied with … Read More