Tagged: genomics

Featured image: Wasps are forever? The potential to eliminate an invasive pest in New Zealand; permissions withstanding

Wasps are forever? The potential to eliminate an invasive pest in New Zealand; permissions withstanding - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Dec 21, 2020 •

By Gemma McLaughlin, University of Otago PhD candidate Invasive social wasps have long plagued New Zealand’s beech forests and suburbs. Now, a  genetic technology holds the potential to stop such wasps in their tracks. But one major issue lurks: are scientists even allowed to explore this option? New Zealand summers are a great thing. We have our kiwi classics: … Read More

Featured image: Just how worrying is the new Covid-19 strain for Britain – and the rest of us?

Just how worrying is the new Covid-19 strain for Britain – and the rest of us? - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Dec 21, 2020 •

Let’s start with the basics. The genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for Covid-19 is a strand of RNA made up of almost 30,000 nucleotides. These are code for the amino acids that in turn give us the proteins that make up the virus. Each time the virus enters a new cell and replicates, its genetic material is copied, … Read More

Featured image: Aches on a plane – new findings on in-flight Covid transmission

Aches on a plane – new findings on in-flight Covid transmission - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Nov 24, 2020 •

One of the good things about New Zealand pursuing an elimination strategy for Covid-19 (aside from the obvious) is that we are able to help answer some of the questions there are about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmits between people. Take air travel. As many people in the US start to head off around the country to spend Thanksgiving with … Read More

Featured image: Indigenous perspectives on unrestricted access to genomic data

Indigenous perspectives on unrestricted access to genomic data - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Sep 23, 2020 •

By Genomics Aotearoa researcher Maui Hudson, University of Waikato It is vital that genomics research respects genomic data and genetic heritage from indigenous communities. Genomics research is a rapidly growing field of study, and there is a strong push to make the huge amount of data being produced open source for all researchers to use – the rational being … Read More

Featured image: Data analysis skills are in hot demand – what should we be doing about it?

Data analysis skills are in hot demand – what should we be doing about it? - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Jul 29, 2020 •

By Associate Professor Mik Black, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago The increased availability of complex biological data sets means that analysis and computation are becoming critically important skills for New Zealand’s future scientists. Because of this, we need to be doing everything we can to help our students develop these skills, to better prepare them for large-scale data analysis … Read More

Featured image: Better understanding bacterial blooms in New Zealand waterways

Better understanding bacterial blooms in New Zealand waterways - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Jul 13, 2020 •

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

Featured image: Genomic breakthrough in invasive species management

Genomic breakthrough in invasive species management - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Apr 15, 2020 •

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

Featured image: The importance of the humble blueberry

The importance of the humble blueberry - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Feb 26, 2020 •

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

Featured image: Finish what’s on your plate

Finish what’s on your plate - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Nov 04, 2019 •

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