Current thesis project
This project will look at orang-utans using extant and extinct genetic data. Orang-utans (Pongo sp.) are currently distributed in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra but were initially distributed across Sundaland, reaching parts of Java and Southern China. With the use of ancient DNA techniques, museum samples allow us to delve deeper into the past genetic history of orang-utans, including extinct populations.
We will use mitogenomes for doing a phylogeny, in order to validate the provenance of individuals. Genome data will also be obtained from these historic samples, to allow us to screen genetic diversity from new populations and compare them to the current populations from previous studies.
Overall this thesis will explore changes in Bornean and Sumatran orang-utans’ genetic diversity levels using historic DNA samples to see if there has been a loss of genetic diversity within their populations of the last couple centuries compared to populations from the present.
Research Interests
Finding out how evolution can be evidenced through genetic processes has always been my research interest, using population genetics is how I learned to approach this. Even better, learning how to use this knowledge as an evidence for conservation. Population genomics is the main research topic, the main phenomena I have researched are hybridization and admixture. My main research interest focus in:
(1) assess evolution in another time dimension, using extinct population’s genetic data;
(2) associate statistically adaptations to environmental variables.
