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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 7413
Email
neil.gemmell@otago.ac.nz
Position
Professor
Department
Department of Anatomy
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) PhD
Research summary
Evolutionary genetics and genomics, molecular ecology, conservation biology

Research

Professor Gemmell holds the Chair for AgResearch Centre for Reproduction and Genomics

Professor Gemmell's research blends ecology, population, conservation and evolutionary biology with recent technological spin-offs from the various genome projects. A recurring theme in his research is that of reproduction, with past and current projects spanning mating systems and mate choice, sperm-egg interactions, sperm function, sex determination, sex allocation, and inter-sexual genomic conflict. Professor Gemmell also has interests in several congruent fields of research, particularly the evolution of the mitochondrial genome, the evolution of microsatellite DNA, the evolution of sex determining mechanisms and the processes that lead to speciation.

Research interests:

  • Analysis of mating systems
  • The implications of the asymmetric fitness effects of mtDNA mutations
  • The evolution of microsatellites

Publications

Katuwal, M., Bhattarai, U. R., Phillips, C. B., Gemmell, N. J., & Dowle, E. (2026). Whole genome assembly and annotation of two invasive Sitona species. Journal of Applied Entomology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jen.70100 Journal - Research Article

Moffitt, J., Massué, T., Jeunen, G.-J., Fraser, C., Gemmell, N., Peck, L., & Lamare, M. (2026). Mild in situ warming altered community structure, increased growth, and decreased survival in New Zealand subtidal encrusting ascidian and bryozoan assemblages. Marine Biology, 173, 143. doi: 10.1007/s00227-026-04872-z Journal - Research Article

Heremia, L., Langsbury, H., Treece, J., Miller, A. K., Waller, S. J., Ussher, J., … Gemmell, N. J., Geoghegan, J. L., & Stanton, J.-A. L. (2026). Rapid GeneXpert surveillance of influenza A virus in seabirds and the environment provides early warning for wildlife health in Aotearoa New Zealand. Virology, 623, 111014. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2026.111014 Journal - Research Article

Jeunen, G.-J., Mills, S., Bailie, M., Mauvisseau, Q., Lamare, M., Mariani, S., Pearman, W., Zavodna, M., Treece, J., Ferreira, S., & Gemmell, N. J. (2026). Recovering historical eDNA from museum-preserved filter feeders via non-destructive metabarcoding. Molecular Ecology Resources, 26, e70132. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.70132 Journal - Research Article

Massué, T., Ferreira, S., Moffitt, J., Gemmell, N. J., & Lamare, M. D. (2026). Exploring the potential of serpulid external tube morphology for rapid grouping assessment in ecological research: A case study from southern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 53, e70021. doi: 10.1002/njz2.70021 Journal - Research Article

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