Upcoming events hosted by or involving Genetics Otago will be listed here. Please check back regularly for updates. A calendar of events that may be of interest to our members can be found at the bottom of this page and in the sidebar of other pages on this site, please note that this includes events hosted outside of Genetics Otago.
VISG Seminar Series
The Virtual Institute of Statistical Genetics (VISG) Hub is a key part of Genetics Otago, providing a platform for researchers to collaborate and exchange knowledge and expertise in statistical genetics. The VISG Hub hosts seminars, workshops, and other events to promote statistical genetics research and foster collaboration between researchers.
We’re excited to announce our monthly genetics research seminars, aimed at connecting researchers in the field. The seminars will commence in May 2023 and will be hosted by GO’s Virtual Institute of Statistical Genetics (VISG) Hub along with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Otago. These seminars will be available in person or via Zoom, and all are welcome.
Date: 3rd Thursday of the month
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Schedule
- May: Associate Professor Phil Wilcox, University of Otago
- June: Professor Mik Black, University of Otago
- July: Dr Ludovic Dutoit, University of Otago – please note that this seminar will be held on the 27th of July rather than the 20th due to ICG.
- August: Dr Setegn Alemu, AgResearch
- September: Ee Cheng Oi, Abacus Bio
- October: Franziska Weik, Beef + Lamb NZ Genetics – Cancelled
- November: Dr Jane Symonds and Dr Megan Scholtens, Cawthron – please note that this seminar will be held on the 17th of November rather than the 16th due to the Genetics Otago Annual Symposium.
Zoom Details
If you would like the Zoom details for this event, please contact us.
Next Seminar
The next seminar will be held on Friday the 17th of November, 11 am in Biochemistry Seminar Room G13 and will be given by Dr Jane Symonds and Dr Megan Scholtens, Cawthron Institute.
Title: Environmental resilience in aquatic species
Abstract: The New Zealand aquaculture sector faces growing vulnerability due to climate change, with marine heatwaves already causing elevated summer mortality rates in Greenshell mussels and king (Chinook) salmon. To tackle these challenges, selective breeding and genomic selection offer long-term solutions. Temperature challenge models, implemented in controlled tank environments, have been developed for both species. So far, this approach has been applied successfully to test more than 230 pedigree king salmon families and 21 Greenshell mussel families. Heritabilities for time to death at elevated temperature were high (0.34 to 0.48) suggesting that selection for improved thermotolerance is possible.
Megan Scholtens
Megan is a geneticist within the Aquaculture Group at Cawthron and is involved in a number of research projects across the ‘Shellfish Aquaculture’ and ‘Finfish Climate Change Adaptation’ platforms. Megan specialises in the application of genetic and genomic methodologies to enhance the understanding of how genes affect traits such as growth, development, behaviour, reproduction and immunity to improve the efficiency, resilience and survivability of aquatic species. In addition, Megan contributes to research activities of the Aquaculture team by integrating the experimental biology with commercial production to help provide solutions for clients and deliver tangible outcomes for the aquaculture industry.
Jane Symonds
Jane is a Senior Scientist and Team Leader in the Aquaculture Group at Cawthron. Jane’s focus is the application of research to enhance sustainable commercial production with a specific interest in king salmon farming and selective breeding. She has over 30 years of experience in this field. As a science programme leader she oversees a wide range of multi-disciplinary collaborative projects with internal and external partners, including salmon feed efficiency, genomics, behaviour, health, physiology, microbiomics, climate change adaptation, data science and developing trials to selectively breed resilient and efficient king salmon. Implementation of research for sustainable and profitable aquaculture development is a key driver for Jane. Dr Symonds is also a Senior Adjunct Researcher at the University of Tasmania and helps supervise multiple post-graduate students.
If you have any questions about this seminar series please contact us.
Calendar of Events
The below is a calendar of events hosted by GO as well as events hosted by others that may be of interest to our members. If you have an event you would like us to include please contact us here.
The Pathology Seminar Series continues this week with Dr Mihnea Bostina from Microbiology & Immunology. Dr Bostina will present a seminar entitled “Senecavirus: A Picornavirus with Potent Oncolytic Activity” in the D’Ath Lecture Theatre at 1pm this Friday – see attached for more information.
12:00 Noon, Monday, 2nd November
Room 208, 2nd Floor
Microbiology Building
720 Cumberland St
Ben Te Aika
Vision Matakuranga Co-Ordinator, Genomics Aotearoa,
‘Indigenous (Māori) Ethics’
The workshop will look to increase understanding of Matauraka Maori or Māori knowledge and knowledge systems in relation to science, Māori relationships with data and indigenous data derived works. Consultation from a practice point of view leading to improved engagement and outcomes. Understanding a key ethical expression of Taa Koha – an exchange of trust based responsibility and how this requires transparency, communication and mutual trust. Data sovereignty is an expression of Māori control, derived from territorial authority or Mana Whenua which is grounded in the Treaty of Waitangi.
The joint winners of the 2020 Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Research Medal Lecture Dr Louise Bicknell and Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson will present their talks at 5:30pm on Tuesday 3 November in Burns 1 Lecture Theatre.
Dr Bicknell, from the Department of Pathology, will present her talk “The genetics of how we grow”
Our genetic code contains the key instructions on how our bodies and brain grow – yet we still don’t fully understand what mechanisms are involved. Dr Bicknell harnesses the power of rare genetic disorders, where people have restricted body or brain growth, to gain insight into these essential instructions. She will present her laboratory’s research efforts to understand the genetic control of growth and to help people affected by such disorders.
She will be followed by Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai) who is co-Director of Te Koronga based in the Division of Sciences, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences. Her research focuses on mauri ora (flourishing wellbeing).
He kairangahau Māori o te rōpū rangahau o Te Koronga i roto i te Rohe a Ahikāroa, Te Kura Parawhakawai a Ahorangi Tuarua Anne-Marie Jackson (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai). Ko mauri ora te kaupapa o tōna mahi rangahau.
Associate Professor Jackson’s talk is titled ”Tēnei tātou Te Koronga: Indigenising the academy since mai rā anō”
The phrase Te Koronga is borrowed from the opening line of an ancient Māori chant that refers to a yearning for excellence. This is the research kaupapa she co-leads. In this kōrero, she will describe the dual parts of her role as a kaupapa Māori researcher. Firstly, she will outline her research expertise in Māori physical education and health which is the study and application of te ao Māori (Māori worldview), Te Tiriti (Treaty of Waitangi) and Kaupapa Māori for mauri ora (flourishing wellness). Secondly, she will discuss how through this disciplinary platform, as servants to our communities, we engage in transforming and indigenising the academy to ensure we as Māori are the critics and conscience of our society.
Nō te rerenga kōrero tuatahi o tētahi karakia tāwhito te rerenga kupu o te koronga. Ko te hiahia mō te hiranga te whakamārama o taua rerenga kupu. Nā Anne-Marie Jackson tētahi o ngā kaihautū o taua kaupapa rangahau. I roto i tēnei kōrero, ka kōrero a Anne-Marie ki ngā mea e rua e pā ana ki ōna mahi o te kairangahau kaupapa Māori. Tuatahi, ka whakarāpopoto ia i ōna mahi rangahau o te whakatinanahia o te hauora Māori, arā, ko te whakaritenga o te ao Māori, Te Tiriti me te Kaupapa Māori mō te mauri ora. Tuarua, ka kōrero ia e pā ana ki te mahi o te rangahau, mā te rangahau ngā hapori e hāpai, mā te rangahau anō mātou e panoni, e whakamāori hoki ngā whare wānanga kia ū ki te kaupapa matua, he kaiwhakamana mātou mō tō mātou ao whānui.
The Carl Smith Research medal is one of the University’s highest research honours, and awarded annually to recognise the outstanding research performance of early career staff.
This is a free public lecture and all are welcome to attend and learn.
We have a special seminar from Dr Jane MacDonald and colleagues based at the Centre for Women’s Health Research, Wellington Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington. They will present ‘He Tapu Te Whare Tangata (the sacred house of humanity)’, a randomised controlled trial of self-testing for HPV infection in Māori women.
Please see attached for more information.He tapu te whare tangata_poster
The OMSRS Masters and Honours Student Speaker awards, and Annual General Meeting will be held on 4th November 2020 at 5pm in the Barnett Lecture Theatre.
10 speakers have been selected from a range of departments. A prize of $500 will be awarded for the best presentation, and a prize of $250 will be awarded to the runner up.
We will also hold a brief Annual General Meeting during the break, and announce the winner and runners up of our annual Science Writing Prize, sponsored by Kainic Medical Communications.
Approximate timings are given below.
Departmental seminar series continues with Dr Xochitl Morgan from Microbiology & Immunology. Her seminar is entitled ‘Understanding ecosystem dysfunction in inflammatory bowel disease’.
Please see attached for more information: Morgan_poster
You are warmly invited to attend MapNet 2020, a free online conference across three ~90 minute sessions on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November 2020. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Mātauranga and Te Ao Māori to guide genetics research: better outcomes for people and for science’.
As you know, the MapNet conference has historically been a meeting place for the applied genetics community in Aotearoa, with a particular focus on gene mapping in commercial species. However, in recent years both the community and the research has expanded significantly, with talks at last year’s conference covering human and health genomics, primary sector genomics, ecological and evolutionary genomics, microbial genomics and Māori kaupapa / Te Ao Māori in genetics teaching and research. This year, in an online format, we have decided to focus on the theme of “Mātauranga and Te Ao Māori to guide genetics research: better outcomes for people and for science” as a common thread that links all aspects of applied genetics in Aotearoa.
Ngā mihi nui – a huge thanks to the amazing speakers who have kindly agreed to share their tohungatanga – expertise. We are particularly thrilled to start the conference with a plenary presentation from Prof Alex Brown, an internationally leading Aboriginal clinician/researcher who has worked his entire career in Aboriginal health. We are also honoured to have Dr Kimiora Henare, Dr Phil Wilcox, Dr Jonni Koia and Assoc Prof Maui Hudson presenting during the conference.
Please see below for our schedule, you are most welcome to join us for any or all sessions!
Please register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/mapnet-2020-matauranga-and-te-ao-maori-to-guide-better-genetics-research-tickets-126764131931
Closer to the time, we will be in touch with registered attendees with details of how to attend each session via zoom.
Noho ora mai,
MapNet 2020 organising committee: Anna Santure, Annabel Whibley, Thomas Buckley, Libby Liggins, Jibran Tahir and Phil Wilcox
Monday 16 November: Indigenous health genomics and Māori kaupapa/Te Ao Māori in human health genomics
11:30-11:40am: Welcome
11:40am-12:20pm: Plenary from Prof Alex Brown, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and University of Adelaide (https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/alex.brown)
12:20-12:40pm: questions and discussion
-break-
2:00-2:30pm: Dr Kimiora Henare (https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/k-henare)
2:30-3:00pm: Dr Phil Wilcox (https://scholar.google.co.nz/citations?user=v5W0yNUAAAAJ&hl=en)
3:00-3:20pm: joint questions and discussion
Tuesday 17 November: Māori kaupapa/Te Ao Māori in genetics research
2:00-2:30pm: Dr Jonni Koia (https://www.waikato.ac.nz/staff-profiles/people/jkoia)
2:30-3:00pm: Assoc Prof Maui Hudson (https://www.waikato.ac.nz/fmis/about/staff/maui)
3:00-3:20pm: joint questions and discussion
3:20-3:30pm: closing
Genetics Otago will be hosting a Symposium for all members on the 18th of November 2020. This is an in-person Symposium, utilising Zoom to connect three main rooms in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington, to showcase speakers from across Genetics Otago in this flagship event for 2020. Details will be updated here as they become available.
Date: 18th November 2020
Time: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Locations:
Dunedin: BIG13 Seminar Room, Ground Floor Biochemistry Building
Christchurch: 7.04
Wellington: UOW.D31
We have special seminar on Monday 11 am by Dr Veronika Sander, from the University of Auckland titled “Using human kidney organoids to study acute kidney injury”.
Location is the D’ Ath Hercus building.
The Health Sciences’ Divisional Research Committee is holding a presentation where we will discuss proposal format (EoI and Full), application faults and what the panel is looking for.
Current grant holders will also be present to share their experiences.
Zoom details: https://otago.zoom.us/j/99339176722?pwd=aEFqelp6VzBMT2ZlWEFmR08xczNjQT09, Password: 872997
