Research
Through my interests and academic studies, I have been developing my knowledge and forging a path into the field of molecular ecology. During my BSc Genetics degree at Cardiff University, I undertook a Professional Training Year (PTY) at Dana Girang Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo allowing me to develop ecological skills out in the field. Over the year I completed my own project looking at the perching sites utilised by different raptor species while being involved in assisting in a range of projects for fellow PTY students, as well as Master's and PhD students conducting research on a multitude of species (Frogs, Pigs, Primates etc). Following the PTY, my final year project consisted of conservation genetics study working on the critically endangered Ploughshare tortoise, producing a genetic database contributing to Durrell's Wildlife Conservation Trust breeding programme. The project involved genotyping microsatellite markers for captive and wild tortoises so that each individual can be identified in the face of the pet trade that is illegally decimating the species. With this database, we were also able to compare the captive population with wild tortoises to see if the captive population reflected the genetic diversity of that of the wild populations.
Now for my PhD in conjunction with SWBio DTP, I am undertaking a livestock genomics project studying domestic water buffalos adaptive potential and understanding their evolutionary biology.