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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 9592
Email
nathan.kenny@otago.ac.nz
Position
Senior Lecturer
Department
Department of Biochemistry
Iwi affiliations
Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Tahu
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) (Otago), BA, DPhil (Oxon)
Research summary
Evolutionary genomics

Research

Dr Kenny’s research is centred on a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, looking at the molecular mechanisms underlying resilience to climate change in the kuku (the green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, also known as the kūtai). He has worked on a number of questions at the intersection of comparative genomics, phylogenetics and evolutionary developmental biology in a range of invertebrate species. He uses genomic sequencing, single cell approaches (scRNA and scATACseq), and both bioinformatic and embryological assays to understand how species diversify, develop and adapt to extreme environmental conditions.

For more information, please see his lab website.

Dr Kenny whakapapas to Te Ātiawa and Ngāi Tahu

Publications

Greenhough, H., Vignier, J., Smith, K. F., Brown, C. M., Kenny, N. J., & Rolton, A. (2025). Multi-stressor dynamics: Effects of marine heatwave stress and harmful algal blooms on juvenile mussel (Perna canaliculus) survival and physiology. Science of the Total Environment, 964, 178590. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178590 Journal - Research Article

Greenhough, H., Vignier, J., Smith, K. F., Brown, C., Rolton, A., & Kenny, N. J. (2024, August). The effects of harmful algal blooms and marine heatwaves on the early life stages of green-lipped mussels. Verbal presentation at the BMS Postgraduate Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Dewar, E., Jeunen, G.-J., & Kenny, N. (2024, August). Under-appreciated and overlooked: Mapping the identity, molecular diversity and eDNA context of New Zealand's freshwater sponge species. Verbal presentation at the BMS Postgraduate Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Kenny, N. (2024, November). Embedding principles of partnership and data sovereignty in genomic research. Verbal presentation at the International Indigenous Research Conference (IIRC), Auckland, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Kenny, N. (2024, October). Plenty more fish in the ACTG: Advancing aquacultural aspirations through genomics. Zoology Department Seminar Series, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Department Seminar]. Other Research Output

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