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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

Samsing, F., Arbon, P., Arnold, M., Barnes, A. C., Bass, D., Becker, J. A., Bennett, J., … Geoghegan, J., … Wiley, K. (2026). High-throughput sequencing in aquaculture disease investigations: Challenges and opportunities for implementation [Review]. Reveiws in Aquaculture, 18(4), e70193. doi: 10.1111/raq.70193 Journal - Research Article

Geoghegan, J., Wierenga, J., Guhlin, J., & Dearden, P. (2026). Why the race to save these cherished penguins just became more urgent. The Conversation. doi: 10.64628/AA.hcht9yg55 Journal - Research Other

Geoghegan, J., & French, N. (2026). A high‑risk bird flu strain is circling the globe. How prepared is NZ? The Conversation. doi: 10.64628/AA.rr6cwed9c Journal - Research Other

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

Hoggard, M., Gios, E., Tee, H. S., Geoghegan, J. L., & Handley, K. M. (2026). DNA viruses are constrained to ecological niches and share similar environmental adaptations with hosts. Nature Communications. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-73439-9 Journal - Research Article

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