We envision a world where the protection of genetic diversity is considered foundational to global conservation policy and practice, and where a diverse and inclusive conservation genetics community is meaningfully engaged in advancing conservation priorities from local to global levels.
We bring together leaders in the field of conservation genetics - each with their own histories, priorities, and modes of action. Together, we have built a coalition that integrates research, interpretation, policy, and management, opening a pathway from science to decision-making.
Jessica da Silva is a Senior Scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Her research focuses on integrating evolutionary genomics into wildlife management and policy, with a particular emphasis on genetic monitoring and landscape genetics; however, she regularly employs multidisciplinary approaches to better understand species’ adaptations and evolution. Additionally, she is the Genetic lead for South Africa’s National Biodiversity Assessment - the country’s primary tool for monitoring and reporting on the state of biodiversity.
Chris is a Professor at Colorado State University and the Director of the CSU Global Biodiversity Center. His lab strives to understand the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity, and how rapid global environmental change affects these processes by integrating population genomics, quantitative field methods, controlled experiments, and computational analysis in a variety of taxonomic groups.
Leonardo Gallo is a forest geneticist from Argentina. He studied Forest Sciences in La Plata National University and obtained a PhD degree in forest genetics in Göttingen University, Germany. His research work focuses on ecological and conservation genetics of forest ecosystems inhabited by indigenous and peasant communities. He coordinates LACFORGEN Net (Latin American and Caribbean net for Conservation, management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources) and CYTED-GENFOMEC Net (Conservation of forest genetic diversity for the sustainable management of OMEC areas)
Catherine is a Robinson Fellow (senior lecturer) at the University of Sydney. Her team strive to understand the evolutionary and population genetics consequences of conservation actions, such as translocations and conservation breeding, using a range of genetic and computational methods.
Sean is a conservation biologist at The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, Illinois), a non-profit botanical garden, and research and education center. His team aims to develop knowledge and tools to strengthen conservation action, and support species’ resilience. Topics of work include biogeography, dispersal, climate change, seed collections, and policy-relevant metrics.
Maggie is a Research Geneticist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Florida, USA studying conservation and population genetics, environmental DNA and genetic biocontrol methods to inform natural resource management of invasive and imperiled species. She is a co-chair of the Geo Bon Genetic Composition Working Group and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Conservation Genetics North American Working Group.
Francine is a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental non-profit, where she uses the best available scientific information to advocate for improved protections for marine mammals. Still a whale population geneticist at heart, she also advocates for improved uptake of genetic information into conservation policy decisions.
Linda is a Professor of population genetics at Stockholm University (Dept. Zoology) focusing on conservation genetics. Her team uses a variety of approaches and multidisciplinary efforts to understand how and why genetic diversity is lost and what can be done to halt such losses to assure long term survival and adaptive potential of populations through retention of genetic biodiversity.
Anna is a Senior Research Scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division, with a focus on molecular ecology. Her team uses a range of approaches, from conservation genetics to environmental DNA, to inform wildlife management and policy, and to contribute to biodiversity monitoring in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
Alicia Mastretta-Yanes is a CONAHCYT Research Fellow at CONABIO, Mexico. The broad aim of her research is incorporating evolutionary processes into the conservation of biodiversity. Her basic science research covers the effect of topography and climate fluctuations in shaping genetic structure, to the genetic implications of domestication and human management of crops, crop wild relatives and trees. She also develops computational tools to help local communities and conservation practitioners incorporate genetic information into biodiversity monitoring and management.
Mariah is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University and the Vice President of the Society for Conservation Biology Conservation Genetics Working Group. Her lab focuses using genomic study to address problems in the conservation and management of aquatic species.
Cinnamon is a postdoctoral research fellow at Michigan State University. She is a population geneticist and avid naturalist, using genetic data to support species’ ability to adapt to environmental change. She has worked on a variety of organisms, from mosses to toads, and is dedicated to working with conservation practitioners to incorporate genetic data into management actions.
David is Biodiversity Evidence and Reporting Manager at NatureScot, Scotland's public nature agency. He works on a range of themes including biodiversity policy, indicators, urban ecosystems, conservation of genetic diversity and citizen science, as well as carrying out research on the ecology and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.
Rob is a conservation geneticist at the University of Edinburgh where his group focuses on the applications of population genetics and veterinary medicine to wildlife conservation and management. He is a member of the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group and a population genetics advisor to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Rob runs TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network, an NGO focusing the use of forensic science in wildlife law enforcement.
Kier Mitchel Pitogo is a wildlife biologist from Mindanao Island in the Philippines, pursuing a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas. His research will broadly focus on within-island drivers of speciation in Philippine amphibians, aiming to inform biodiversity management and area-based protection measures in his home country.
Gernot is a conservation biologist and assistant professor at Freiburg University in Germany. He is also co-chair of the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group (CGSG). He is interested in the application of genetic tools for conservation.
Robyn Shaw is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Canberra, in the Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics. She studies Australia's unique mammal fauna in vast and remote arid/savanna ecosystems. She uses genetics and field studies to explore the effects of fire, invasive species, land use and climate on animal populations; integrating this information into decision-making tools for conservation practitioners.
Dr. Mukesh Thakur is a conservation biologist at the Zoological Survey of India, with over two decades of experience in safeguarding biodiversity through the application of conservation genetics. His research bridges wildlife ecology and population genetics to unravel patterns of population differentiation and to identify the genetic mechanisms driving adaptation in wildlife. Recently, his focus has been on understanding the distribution and demographic shifts of large mammals in the Himalayas, particularly in response to significant geo-climatic events. Driven by a profound commitment to conservation biology, Dr. Thakur leverages scientific insights to develop effective wildlife management strategies and conservation action plans. His goal is to collaborate with like-minded professionals to ensure the preservation of our planet's natural heritage for future generations.
Sibelle Torres Vilaça is a Researcher at Vale Institute of Technology, Brazil. She is a population geneticist and integrates evolutionary genomics to inform taxon-focused management and policy. She has worked on a variety of organisms and is supporting the large-scale use of genomic tools to assess genetic health and long-term adaptive potential of imperiled vertebrate species.
Cristiano Vernesi is a Senior Researcher at Fondazione Edmund Mach (Italy). His main interests include: understanding spatial and temporal change of genetic biodiversity by means of population genomics and analysis of aDNA, eDNA and sedaDNA; genomic study of keystone and foundation species living in mountain areas in relation to global change; science-policy interface. Homepage
Mike Bruford was a founding member of CCG. He was a molecular ecologist at Cardiff University, Wales and was co-chair of the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group. His career consisted of studying the demographic and evolutionary processes affecting populations, species and ecosystems of conservation concern. He focused on trying to understand basic evolutionary processes but also placed substantial emphasis on providing data and recommendations to management authorities for action and policy development. He is greatly missed by the conservation genetics community.
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