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PRODID:-//University of Otago//Events Calendar//EN
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UID:https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/events/biochemistry-seminar-dr-rebecca-french
URL:https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/events/biochemistry-seminar-dr-rebecca-french
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260915T120000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20260915T130000
SUMMARY:Biochemistry seminar: Dr Rebecca French
DESCRIPTION:Advancing wildlife conservation via disease ecologyViruses are often perceived as harmful pathogens, particularly in relation to human health. However, studies using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing have uncovered the remarkable diversity and prevalence of viruses across various ecosystems and host species. Many viruses have been found in apparently healthy hosts, indicating a relatively small proportion of viruses are pathogenic. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of the implications of these discoveries for our understanding of viral ecology and disease emergence, and explore how we can gain a deeper understanding of the factors driving cross-species transmission and the emergence of pathogens. I will share insights from my research spanning diverse host–virus systems, including viral communities across an island food web, viruses associated with introduced rats, pathogen discovery in a kākāpō disease, and the potential role of pathogens in the evolution of brood parasitism in shining cuckoos. Together, these projects illustrate how understanding the ecology and evolution of viruses can provide new insights into disease emergence, host–microbe interactions, and the conservation of threatened species. I will discuss how approaches that integrate genomics, ecology and evolutionary biology can help us develop a more comprehensive understanding of the roles of microbes in natural ecosystems. Dr Rebecca French is a Lecturer in Zoology at the University of Otago, having previously been a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Her research combines bioinformatics and ecological approaches to investigate viruses in wildlife, disease emergence and host–microbe interactions, with a focus on applying disease ecology to conservation. 
LOCATION:Biochemistry Seminar Room G.13 (BIG13), 710 Cumberland Street, Dunedin
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