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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 470 4696
Email
jemma.geoghegan@otago.ac.nz
Position
Professor
Department
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Qualifications
BSc Hons, PhD
Research summary
Viral evolutionary biology

Research

I am an evolutionary biologist and virologist with a strong research focus on emerging infectious disease. My research focuses on determining the fundamental patterns and processes of viral evolution, ecology and emergence.

My research involves using metagenomics to reveal the diversity, structure and evolution of the virosphere; examining the evolution of major viral infections; and developing new analytical and computational approaches to analyse aspects of the virus evolution.

Publications

Miller, A., Waller, S., Dowle, E., Winters, D., Besic, V., & Geoghegan, J. (2025). Environmental monitoring for avian influenza viruses in Aotearoa New Zealand. Proceedings of the 2nd Australian & New Zealand Environmental DNA (eDNA) Conference: eDNA Synergy: Innovate, Collaborate, Implement. Retrieved from https://ednaconference.com.au Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

French, R. K., Waller, S. J., Wierenga, J. R., Grimwood, R. M., Hodgkinson-Bean, J., Digby, A., … French, N. P., & Geoghegan, J. L. (2025). Evidence for a role of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus gallolyticus in the aetiology of exudative cloacitis in the critically endangered Kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus). Molecular Ecology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/mec.17761 Journal - Research Article

French, N. P., Maxwell, H., Baker, M. G., Callaghan, F., Dyet, K., Geoghegan, J. L., … Kvalsvig, A., Russell, E., Scott, P., … Plank, M. J. (2025). Preparing for the next pandemic: Insights from Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid-19 response. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific, 56, 101525. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101525 Journal - Research Other

Waller, S. J., Wierenga, J. R., Heremia, L., Darnley, J. A., de Vries, I., Dubrulle, J., Robinson, Z., Miller, A. K., … Ellenberg, U., … Keys, B. C., … Mattern, T., … Waipoua, T. A., … Geoghegan, J. L. (2025). Avian influenza virus surveillance across New Zealand and its subantarctic islands detects H1N9 in migratory shorebirds, but not 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1. Influenza & Other Respiratory Viruses, 19, e70099. doi: 10.1111/irv.70099 Journal - Research Other

Taylor, J. T., Lee, V., Dearlove, T., Jolly, M., Wierenga, J. R., Dubrulle, J., Hodgkinson-Bean, J., … French, N., … Geoghegan, J. L. (2025). A metagenomic investigation into Apteryx rowi dermatosis identifies multiple novel viruses and a highly abundant nematode. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Advance online publication. doi: 10.7589/jwd-d-24-00115 Journal - Research Article

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