Ewch i’r prif gynnwys
Isa-Rita Russo

Dr Isa-Rita Russo

Uwch Ddarlithydd

Ysgol y Biowyddorau

Email
RussoIM@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29208 76036
Campuses
Adeilad Syr Martin Evans, Ystafell C/5.04, Rhodfa'r Amgueddfa, Caerdydd, CF10 3AX
Users
Ar gael fel goruchwyliwr ôl-raddedig

Trosolwyg

Growing up in South Africa, I have always been fascinated with the remarkable biodiversity across the plant and animal kingdoms. This interest led me to study Biology focussing on two disciplines, Zoology and Genetics. My main interests are in evolutionary genetics and understanding how landscape features influence patterns of genetic diversity and structure in both small and large mammals. I am also interested in how we can use genetic studies to inform the conservation and management of animal populations. To answer this, I use a range of genetic markers which include neutral markers (microsatellites), mitochondrial DNA markers, nuclear protein coding DNA markers, SNP markers and more recently whole genome sequences. I mainly work on wildlife (African dung beetles and lacewings, black and white rhinoceros, black and blue wildebeest, African buffalo, African small mammals, fish and Mascarene Island reptiles) but I have also worked on domestic taxa (cattle, sheep and goat) investigating adaptation to climatic extremes. I use a range of analytical techniques which include phylogenetic, population genetic methods and bioinformatics.

Roles

  • Degree Scheme Lead (Zoology)
  • Module Leader BI3154, 2020/2021

Cyhoeddiad

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2014

2013

2010

2006

Articles

Book sections

Ymchwil

Rwy'n genetegydd poblogaeth gyda phrofiad mewn geneteg/genomeg poblogaeth a thirwedd. Mae fy ymchwil yn canolbwyntio ar sut mae newidynnau tirwedd yn effeithio ar lif genynnau ac addasu mewn nifer o dacsa. Mae angen gwybodaeth am sut mae nodweddion tirwedd yn rhyngweithio ag amrywiad genetig ar lefel y boblogaeth ac unigolion er mwyn deall llif genynnau ac addasu i'r amgylchedd. Rwy'n defnyddio setiau data geneteg ac amgylcheddol ar raddfa fawr ynghyd â geneteg poblogaeth/dadansoddiadau ystadegol a biowybodeg i astudio'r gydberthynas rhwng nodweddion tirwedd a llif genynnau/addasu. Rwyf wedi defnyddio geneteg tirwedd i astudio amrywiaeth o dacsa, gan gynnwys eirth brown, pandas enfawr a mamaliaid bach. Mae'r astudiaethau hyn yn darparu gwybodaeth anuniongyrchol am swyddogaeth ecolegol anifeiliaid o fewn ecosystem ac mae wedi llywio penderfyniadau rheoli a chadwraeth.

Mae gen i ddiddordeb hefyd mewn sut mae amrywiad genetig wedi'i siapio oherwydd digwyddiadau demograffig yn y gorffennol (tagfeydd poblogaeth a digwyddiadau ehangu) a newidiadau ym maint y boblogaeth gan ddefnyddio Cyfrifiant Bayesaidd Bras a dulliau glofaol Markoviaidd ar gyfer microsatellite/SNP a data dilyniannu genomau cyfan yn y drefn honno. Rwyf wedi defnyddio'r dulliau hyn ar nifer o dacsa gan gynnwys rhinoseros gwyn, rhinoseros du a brithyll brown.

Rwyf hefyd yn cymryd rhan mewn nifer o brosiectau dan arweiniad aelodau o Grŵp Arbenigol Geneteg Cadwraeth yr IUCN (CGSG). Rwy'n arwain un o'r prosiectau hyn a nod yr astudiaeth yw casglu, coladu a dehongli gwybodaeth gyfredol o gyfansoddiad genetig fertebratau de Affrica a gwneud y wybodaeth hon yn hygyrch i ymarferwyr cadwraeth, y diwydiant bywyd gwyllt a llywodraethau fel canllawiau rheoli genetig.

Fy nod dros y tair blynedd nesaf yw parhau â'm rhaglen ymchwil gan ganolbwyntio ar ecoleg foleciwlaidd ac epidemioleg ofodol trwy gymhwyso genomeg tirwedd i fodelu a rhagweld patrymau dod i'r amlwg, lledaenu a rheoli clefydau mewn bywyd gwyllt Affrica Is-Sahara. Fy nod yw uno meysydd genomeg anifeiliaid, bioleg fector ac epidemioleg gan ddefnyddio rhywogaethau cronfa ddŵr mamalaidd i adeiladu modelau rhagfynegol ar gyfer achosion o glefydau yn Affrica Is-Sahara.

Addysgu

Postgraduate teaching

  • Skills for Ecology and Conservation (BIT050)
  • Assessing Biodiversity and Ecosystems (BIT052)

Undergraduate teaching

  • Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (BI3154)
  • Conservation Biology (BI3114)
  • Global Climate Change Ecology (BI3136)
  • Genetics and Its Applications (BI2132)
  • Genetics and Evolution (BI1051)
  • Skills for Science: Statistics (BI1001)

Other teaching

  • DESMAN (Durrell Endangered Species Management) course which is the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust’s flagship Jersey-based training programme for conservationists (course validated by the University of Kent as graduate certificate)
  • University of South Wales (Conservation Genetics and Wildlife Management)

Bywgraffiad

Education

  • 2010: PhD Genetics (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
  • 2003: MSc Genetics (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
  • 2000: BSc Honours Genetics (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
  • 1999: BSc (University of Pretoria, South Africa)

Anrhydeddau a dyfarniadau

  • South African NRF Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010 - 2011)
  • University of Pretoria Study Abroad for Postgraduates bursary (2006)
  • SABI (South African Biodiversity Initiative) Travel Grant (2006)
  • International Theriological Congress Bursary (2001)
  • South African National Research Foundation (NRF) bursary - MSc (2000 - 2001) and PhD (2004 - 2006)
  • University of Pretoria bursary - BSc Honours (1999), MSc (2000) and PhD (2004)

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

  • Member of the Frozen Ark Scientific Advisory Panel, 2020-present
  • African co-coordinator for the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, 2015-present
  • Member of the Zoological Society of southern Africa, 2009
  • Member of the International Affairs Committee of the Society for the Study of Evolution, 2007-present
  • Member of the American Society of Mammologists, 2006

Safleoedd academaidd blaenorol

  • 2019 - present: Lecturer (Cardiff Univeristy) and Extraordinary Lecturer (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
  • 2012 - 2018: Research Associate (Cardiff University)
  • 2012 - 2013: Project Administrator for ConGRESS (Cardiff University)
  • 2010 - 2011: South African National Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (Cardiff University)

Pwyllgorau ac adolygu

Journal Reviewer:

  • African Zoology
  • Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
  • Biological Conservation
  • Biology Letters
  • Heredity
  • Journal of Mammalogy
  • Phylogenetics and Evolution
  • Molecular Ecology
  • Scientific Reports

Review Editor:

  • Frontiers in Genetics (Editoral Board), Livestock Genomics
  • Frontiers in Geneitcs (Editorial Board), Evolutionary and Population Genetics

Grant Reviewer:

  • US-Israel Binational Science Foundation

Meysydd goruchwyliaeth

Current postdoctoral fellows

  • Anri van Wyk (University of Pretoria, South Africa). Making sense of hybridisation between blue and black wildebeest in South Africa2020-2022.

Current PhD students

  • Supervisor for Anya Tober, Cardiff University, UK (60%). Spatial epidemiology in sub-Saharan African wildlife: schistosomes of Cape Buffalo. 2019-2023.
  • Co-supervisor for Daniel Osmond, University of Exeter, UK (20%). Adapting to life in metal polluted rivers: implications for conservation, genetic diversity and fisheries management in the brown trout (Salmo trutta). 2020-2024.

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:

  • Conservation genetics
  • Landsdape genetics/genomics

Goruchwyliaeth gyfredol

Ymgysylltu

Array