![Frank Hailer](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/1043?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Frank Hailer
(he/him)
Senior Lecturer
- Available for postgraduate supervision
School of Biosciences
Overview
I am an evolutionary biologist working at the interface of genomics, molecular ecology and conservation biology.
See the 'publications' tab on this page, or here for a full publication list.
I am part of the Cardiff University Otter Project, where we study otters in the UK and beyond. We are using a diversity of scientific approaches, for example studying population genomics as well as using otters as sentinels for a range of environmental contaminants and antimicrobial resistance in freshwater ecosystems.
We have obtained a chromosome-level genome assembly, which we've recently used for a study of whole-genome sequencing of UK otters. We also recently published a paper describing results from our 21-year population genetic monitoring of the recovering UK otter population.
I also work on a range of projects on seabirds, part of a wonderful group of storm petrel biologists (@CUStormies on Twitter).
Much of my work has to do with organisms living water, and hence our Cardfiff University Water Research Institute provides great opportunities for interactions.
Academic service
I serve as Reviews/Associate Editor for the journal Heredity (see here for submission guidelines) and previously as Associate Editor for Animal Conservation (2012-2024). Please feel free to get in touch if you're interested in submitting to these journals.
During 2016-2020, I served on a time-limited post as Committee Member on the board of the Genetics Society UK, representing Population and Evolutionary Genetics.
Roles
- Leader of the Field Course Group of the School of Biosciences.
- Module leader BI3153 Evolution and Species Adaptation
- Co-module leader for summer field courses (BI2136 Ecology and BIT055 for M.Sc. in Global Ecology and Conservation students)
- Co-organiser of Organisms and Environment week-long research week for BSc students
- Safety coordinator and 'Functional Research Group' lead for the Molecular Ecology laboratories
Interested in joining my research group?
I enjoy including students in my research. My research group offers various opportunities for undergraduate, Master's and PhD students, typically involving lab work and/or bioinformatics/statistical analysis.
I am also happy to discuss with interested postdoc candidates about the potential to apply for funding from sources such as NERC, BBSRC, Marie-Sklodowska-Curie fellowships, etc.
If you are interested, please contact me by email.
Publication
2025
- Thomas, N. E., Chadwick, E. A., Bruford, M. W. and Hailer, F. 2025. Spatio-temporal changes in effective population size in an expanding metapopulation of Eurasian otters. Evolutionary Applications 18(1), article number: e70067. (10.1111/eva.70067)
- Davies, K. L. et al. 2025. Floral structure, histochemistry and volatile compounds in Bulbophyllum species of the ‘Cirrhopetalum alliance’ (Orchidaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 207(1), pp. 10-39. (10.1093/botlinnean/boae029)
- Shaw, R. E. et al. 2025. Global meta-analysis shows action is needed to halt genetic diversity loss. Nature (10.1038/s41586-024-08458-x)
- Khan, S. et al. 2025. Epidemiological and genotypic assessment of cystic echinococcosis in ruminant populations of Northern Punjab, Pakistan: a neglected zoonotic disease. Parasitology Research 124, article number: 7. (10.1007/s00436-025-08451-x)
2024
- Pérez-Llorca, M., Hewett, A., de la Peña Pita, A., Hailer, F. and Sánchez Vilas, J. 2024. Sexual dimorphism at different life stages: early life sexual differences in root growth in Silene latifolia. Plant Biology (10.1111/plb.13723)
- Beard, A., Thomas, R. J., Xavier, J. C., Clingham, E., Henry, L., Medeiros Mirra, R. and Hailer, F. 2024. A taste for squid: Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) diet in the South Atlantic. Waterbirds 47(1), pp. 1-16. (10.1675/063.047.0106)
- Hinds, J. et al. 2024. Multiple novel caliciviruses identified from stoats (Mustela erminea) in the United Kingdom. Access Microbiology 6(7), article number: 813. (10.1099/acmi.0.000813.v4)
- Hewett, A. M., Sanchez Vilas, J. and Hailer, F. 2024. Two novel PCR-based assays for sexing of Silene latifolia and Silene dioica plants. MethodsX 12, article number: 102708. (10.1016/j.mex.2024.102708)
- O'Rourke, E. et al. 2024. Persistence of PFOA pollution at a PTFE production site and occurrence of replacement PFASs in English freshwaters revealed by sentinel species, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Environmental Science and Technology 58(23), pp. 10195–10206. (10.1021/acs.est.3c09405)
- Basuony, A. E., Saleh, M. and Hailer, F. 2024. Mitogenomic analysis of Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppellii) confirms phylogenetic placement within the Palaearctic clade shared with its sister species, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Mitochondrial DNA Part A (10.1080/24701394.2024.2332320)
- Du Plessis, S., Chadwick, E. and Hailer, F. 2024. Could a couple of Thai otters have helped the UK’s otter population recover? Our study provides a hint. The Conversation
2023
- Beard, A. et al. 2023. Between-year and spatial variation in body condition across the breeding cycle in a pelagic seabird, the Red-billed Tropicbird. Ecology and Evolution 13(12), article number: e10743. (10.1002/ece3.10743)
- Apaa, T. et al. 2023. Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat (Mustela erminea) Minacovirus. Journal of General Virology 104(12), article number: 1917. (10.1099/jgv.0.001917)
- du Plessis, S. J., Blaxter, M., Koepfli, K., Chadwick, E. A. and Hailer, F. 2023. Genomics reveals complex population history and unexpected diversity of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in Britain relative to genetic methods. Molecular Biology and Evolution 40(11), article number: msad207. (10.1093/molbev/msad207)
- Du Plessis, S. J., Hong, S., Lee, B., Koepfli, K., Chadwick, E. A. and Hailer, F. 2023. Mitochondrial genome-based synthesis and timeline of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) phylogeography. Animal Cells and Systems 27(1), pp. 366-377. (10.1080/19768354.2023.2283763)
- Beard, A., Madeiros Mirra, R., Clingham, E., Henry, L., Thomas, R. J. and Hailer, F. 2023. Breeding ecology, population size and nest site preferences of red-billed tropicbirds at St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. Emu - Austral Ornithology 123(3), pp. 185-194. (10.1080/01584197.2023.2205595)
- Apaa, T. et al. 2023. Sarbecoviruses of British horseshoe bats; sequence variation and epidemiology. Journal of General Virology 104(6), article number: 1859. (10.1099/jgv.0.001859)
- Basuony, A. et al. 2023. Paraphyly of the widespread generalist red fox (Vulpes vulpes): introgression rather than recent divergence of the arid-adapted Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppellii)?. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 138(4), pp. 453-469. (10.1093/biolinnean/blad001)
- Beard, A. et al. 2023. Increasing use of artificial nest chambers by seasonally segregated populations of band-rumped storm petrels hydrobates castro at St Helena, South Atlantic. Marine Ornithology 51(1), pp. 85-96.
- Khan, S., Cable, J., Younus, M., Rashid, M. I., Hailer, F. and Akbar, H. 2023. IEg67 kDa bovine hydatid cyst antigen: a candidate for developing sero-diagnostic assays for cystic echinococcosis, a disease of one health importance. Animals 13(5), article number: 866. (10.3390/ani13050866)
- Khan, S., Younus, M., Cable, J., Hailer, F., Idrees, A., Imran Rashid, M. and Akbar, H. 2023. Epidemiology of Bovine Hydatidosis: Urbanization, dogs, animal care and proximity to slaughterhouses are important risk factors for cattle. Pakistan Veterinary Journal 43(3), pp. 507-514. (10.29261/pakvetj/2023.055)
2022
- Thomas, N. E., Hailer, F., Bruford, M. W. and Chadwick, E. A. 2022. Country-wide genetic monitoring over 21 years reveals lag in genetic recovery despite spatial connectivity, in an expanding carnivore (Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra) population. Evolutionary Applications 15(12), pp. 2125-2141. (10.1111/eva.13505)
- Dearborn, D. C., Warren, S. and Hailer, F. 2022. Meta-analysis of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IIA reveals polymorphism and positive selection in many vertebrate species. Molecular Ecology 31(24), pp. 6390-6406. (10.1111/mec.16726)
- O'Rourke, E. et al. 2022. Anthropogenic drivers of variation in concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in otters (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales. Environmental Science and Technology 56(3), pp. 1675-1687. (10.1021/acs.est.1c05410)
- Mullin, K. E., Firmin, D., White, N. F. D., Hailer, F. and Orozco ter Wengel, P. 2022. The complete mitochondrial genome of rare and critically endangered Anilany helenae (Microhylidae) of Madagascar. Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resources 7(1), pp. 153-155. (10.1080/23802359.2021.2008841)
2021
- Mullin, K. E., Rakotomanga, M. G., Razafiarimanana, M. L., Barata, I. M., Dawson, J., Hailer, F. and Orozco ter Wengel, P. 2021. First amphibian inventory of one of Madagascar’s smallest protected areas, Ankafobe, extends the range of the Critically Endangered Anilany helenae (Vallan, 2000) and the Endangered Boophis andrangoloaka (Ahl, 1928). Herpetological Notes 14, pp. 521-531.
2020
- Watson, S. E. et al. 2020. Parasites of an Arctic scavenger; the wolverine (Gulo gulo). International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 13, pp. 178-185. (10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.10.004)
- Päckert, M. et al. 2020. “Into and out of” the Qinghai‐Tibet plateau and the Himalayas: centers of origin and diversification across five clades of Eurasian montane and alpine passerine birds. Ecology and Evolution 10(17), pp. 9283-9300. (10.1002/ece3.6615)
- Mead, D. et al. 2020. The genome sequence of the Eurasian river otter, Lutra lutra Linnaeus 1758 [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research 5, pp. 33. (10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15722.1)
- Barbato, M. et al. 2020. Adaptive introgression from indicine cattle into white cattle breeds from Central Italy. Scientific Reports, article number: 1279. (10.1038/s41598-020-57880-4)
2019
- Liu, Z. et al. 2019. Pseudogenization of Mc1r gene associated with transcriptional changes related to melanogensis explains leucistic phenotypes in Oreonectes cavefish (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 57(4), pp. 900-909. (10.1111/jzs.12286)
- Hailer, F., Kutschera, V. E. and Zachos, F. E. 2019. A summary of brown bear genetic studies: Phylogeny, phylogeography and evolutionary relationships with polar bears. In: Schlup, P. and Hertwig, S. T. eds. Of Bears and Men: Conclusions of the 1st International Bear Meeting IBear. Bern: Haupt Verlag, pp. 10-29.
2017
- Barbato, M. et al. 2017. Genomic signatures of adaptive introgression from European mouflon into domestic sheep. Scientific Reports 7, article number: 7623. (10.1038/s41598-017-07382-7)
- Reiners, T. E., Fuchs, M., Hailer, F., Janke, A. and Nowak, C. 2017. Establishing species-specific sexing markers suitable for non-invasive samples of species lacking genomic resources: an example using the highly endangered common hamster Cricetus cricetus. Conservation Genetics Resources 9(2), pp. 253-255. (10.1007/s12686-016-0664-2)
2016
- Kutschera, V. E. et al. 2016. High genetic variability of vagrant polar bears illustrates importance of population connectivity in fragmented sea ice habitats. Animal Conservation 19(4), pp. 337-349. (10.1111/acv.12250)
- Liu, Z. et al. 2016. Dietary specialization drives multiple independent losses and gains in the bitter taste gene repertoire of Laurasiatherian Mammals. Frontiers in Zoology 13(1), article number: 28. (10.1186/s12983-016-0161-1)
- Rossi Lafferriere, N. A. et al. 2016. Multiple paternity in a reintroduced population of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) at the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. PLOS ONE 11(3), article number: e0150245. (10.1371/journal.pone.0150245)
- Hailer, F. 2016. Why dog breeds aren’t considered separate species. [Online]. The Conversation: The Conversation Trust. Available at: https://theconversation.com/why-dog-breeds-arent-considered-separate-species-56113
- Hailer, F. and Welch, A. J. 2016. Evolutionary history of polar and brown bears. In: eLS. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 1-8., (10.1002/9780470015902.a0026303)
2015
- Schregel, J. et al. 2015. Y chromosome haplotype distribution of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Northern Europe provides insight into population history and recovery. Molecular Ecology 24(24), pp. 6041-6060. (10.1111/mec.13448)
- Aarnes, S. G. et al. 2015. Y-chromosomal testing of brown bears (Ursus arctos): Validation of a multiplex PCR-approach for nine STRs suitable for fecal and hair samples. Forensic Science International: Genetics 19, pp. 197. (10.1016/j.fsigen.2015.07.018)
- Bidon, T., Schreck, N., Hailer, F., Nilsson, M. A. and Janke, A. 2015. Genome-wide search identifies 1.9 Mb from the polar bear Y chromosome for evolutionary analyses. Genome Biology and Evolution 7(7), pp. 2010-2022. (10.1093/gbe/evv103)
- Hailer, F. 2015. Introgressive hybridization: brown bears as vectors for polar bear alleles. Molecular Ecology 24(6), pp. 1161-1163. (10.1111/mec.13101)
- Hailer, F., James, H. . F., Olson, S. L. and Fleischer, R. C. 2015. Distinct and extinct: Genetic differentiation of the Hawaiian eagle. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 83, pp. 40-43. (10.1016/j.ympev.2014.11.005)
2014
- Bock, F., Gallus, S., Janke, A., Hailer, F., Steck, B. L., Kumar, V. and Nilsson, M. A. 2014. Genomic resources and genetic diversity of captive lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis). Zoo Biology 33(5), pp. 440-445. (10.1002/zoo.21146)
- Kutschera, V. E., Bidon, T., Hailer, F., Rodi, J. L., Fain, S. R. and Janke, A. 2014. Bears in a forest of gene trees: Phylogenetic inference is complicated by incomplete lineage sorting and gene flow. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31(8), pp. 2004-2017. (10.1093/molbev/msu186)
- Bidon, T. et al. 2014. Brown and polar bear Y chromosomes reveal extensive male-biased gene flow within brother lineages. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31(6), pp. 1353-1363. (10.1093/molbev/msu109)
- Sanchez-Donoso, I., Huisman, J., Echegaray, J., Puigcerver, M., Rodriguez-Teijeiro, J. D., Hailer, F. and Vila, C. 2014. Detecting slow introgression of invasive alleles in an extensively restocked game bird. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2014(2) (10.3389/fevo.2014.00015)
2013
- Gonzalez-Porter, G. P., Maldonado, J. E., Flores-Villela, O., Vogt, R. C., Janke, A., Fleischer, R. C. and Hailer, F. 2013. Cryptic population structuring and the role of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as a gene flow barrier in the critically endangered Central American River Turtle. Plos One 8(9), article number: e71668. (10.1371/journal.pone.0071668)
- Kawai, K., Hailer, F., Pauline de Guia, A., Ichikawa, H. and Saitoh, T. 2013. Refugia in Glacial Ages Led to the Current Discontinuous Distribution Patterns of the Dark Red-backed Vole Myodes rex on Hokkaido, Japan. Zoological Science 30(8), pp. 642-650. (10.2108/zsj.30.642)
- Kutschera, V. E. et al. 2013. A range-wide synthesis and timeline for phylogeographic events in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). BMC Evolutionary Biology 13, article number: 114. (10.1186/1471-2148-13-114)
- Langguth, T., Honnen, A., Hailer, F., Mizera, T., Skoric, S., Vali, U. and Zachos, F. E. 2013. Genetic structure and phylogeography of a European flagship species, the white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. Journal of Avian Biology 44(3), pp. 263-271.
- Kuhn, T., Hailer, F., Palm, H. W. and Klimpel, S. 2013. Global assessment of molecularly identified Anisakis Dujardin, 1845 (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in their teleost intermediate hosts. Folia Parasitologica 60(2), pp. 123-134. (10.14411/fp.2013.013)
- Bidon, T. et al. 2013. A sensitive and specific multiplex PCR approach for sex identification of ursine and tremarctine bears suitable for non-invasive samples. Molecular Ecology Resources 13(3), pp. 362-368. (10.1111/1755-0998.12072)
- Hailer, F., Kutschera, V. E., Hallstroem, B. M., Fain, S. R., Leonard, J. A., Arnason, U. and Janke, A. 2013. Response to comment on "Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that Polar Bears are an old and distinct bear lineage". Science 339(6127), pp. 1522. (10.1126/science.1228066)
2012
- Kleven, O., Hallstroem, B. M., Hailer, F., Janke, A., Hagen, S. B., Kopatz, A. and Eiken, H. G. 2012. Identification and evaluation of novel di- and tetranucleotide microsatellite markers from the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Conservation Genetics Resources 4(3), pp. 737-741. (10.1007/s12686-012-9634-5)
- Hailer, F. et al. 2012. Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that polar bears are an old and distinct bear lineage. Science 336(6079), pp. 344-347. (10.1126/science.1216424)
2011
- Gonzalez-Porter, G. P., Hailer, F., Flores-Villela, O., Garcia-Anleu, R. and Maldonado, J. E. 2011. Patterns of genetic diversity in the critically endangered Central American river turtle: human influence since the Mayan age?. Conservation Genetics 12(5), pp. 1229-1242. (10.1007/s10592-011-0225-x)
- Bozarth, C. A., Hailer, F., Rockwood, L. L., Edwards, C. W. and Maldonado, J. E. 2011. Coyote colonization of northern Virginia and admixture with Great Lakes wolves. Journal of Mammalogy 92(5), pp. 1070-1080. (10.1644/10-MAMM-A-223.1)
- Ahlering, M. A., Hailer, F., Roberts, M. T. and Foley, C. 2011. A simple and accurate method to sex savannah, forest and asian elephants using noninvasive sampling techniques. Molecular Ecology Notes 11(5), pp. 831-834. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2011.03030.x)
- Levin, I. I. et al. 2011. Hippoboscid-transmitted Haemoproteus parasites (Haemosporida) infect Galapagos Pelecaniform birds: Evidence from molecular and morphological studies, with a description of Haemoproteus iwa. International Journal for Parasitology 41(10), pp. 1019-1027. (10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.03.014)
- Hailer, F., Schreiber, E. A., Miller, J. M., Levin, I. I., Parker, P. G., Chesser, R. T. and Fleischer, R. C. 2011. Long-term isolation of a highly mobile seabird on the Galapagos. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278(1707), pp. 817-825. (10.1098/rspb.2010.1342)
2010
- Andree, K. et al. 2010. Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 April 2010-31 May 2010. Molecular Ecology Resources 10(6), pp. 1098-1105. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02898.x)
- Honnen, A., Hailer, F., Kenntner, N., Literak, I., Dubska, L. and Zachos, F. E. 2010. Mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites reveal high diversity and genetic structure in an avian top predator, the white-tailed sea eagle, in central Europe. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society Linnean Society of London 99(4), pp. 727-737. (10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01373.x)
2009
- Dowling, D. K., Maklakov, A. A., Friberg, U. and Hailer, F. 2009. Applying the genetic theories of ageing to the cytoplasm: cytoplasmic genetic covariation for fitness and lifespan. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22(4), pp. 818-827. (10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01692.x)
- Johnson, J. A., Tingay, R. E., Culver, M., Hailer, F., Clarke, M. L. and Mindell, D. P. 2009. Long-term survival despite low genetic diversity in the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle. Molecular Ecology 18(1), pp. 54-63. (10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.04012.x)
2008
- Dearborn, D. C., Hailer, F. and Fleischer, R. C. 2008. Microsatellite primers for relatedness and population structure in great frigatebirds (Pelecaniformes: Fregatidae). Molecular Ecology Resources 8(6), pp. 1399-1401. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02351.x)
- Hailer, F. and Leonard, J. A. 2008. Hybridization among three native North American Canis species in a region of natural sympatry. Plos One 3(10), article number: e3333. (10.1371/journal.pone.0003333)
- Bjornerfeldt, S., Hailer, F., Nord, M. and Vila, C. 2008. Assortative mating and fragmentation within dog breeds. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8, article number: 28. (10.1186/1471-2148-8-28)
2007
- Helander, B., Hailer, F. and Vilà, C. 2007. Morphological and genetic sex identification of white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nestlings. Journal of Ornithology 148(4), pp. 435-442. (10.1007/s10336-007-0156-y)
- Tingay, R. E., Dawson, D. A., Pandhal, J., Clarke, M. L., David, V. A., Hailer, F. and Culver, M. 2007. Isolation of 22 new Haliaeetus microsatellite loci and their characterization in the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) and three other Haliaeetus eagle species. Molecular Ecology Notes 7(4), pp. 711-715. (10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01690.x)
- Hailer, F. et al. 2007. Phylogeography of the white-tailed eagle, a generalist with large dispersal capacity. Journal of Biogeography 34(7), pp. 1193-1206. (10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01697.x)
- Dowling, D. K., Friberg, U., Hailer, F. and Arnqvist, G. 2007. Intergenomic epistasis for fitness: within-population interactions between cytoplasmic and nuclear genes in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 175(1), pp. 235-244. (10.1534/genetics.105.052050)
2006
- Hailer, F. et al. 2006. Bottlenecked but long-lived: high genetic diversity retained in white-tailed eagles upon recovery from population decline. Biology Letters 2(2), pp. 316-319. (10.1098/rsbl.2006.0453)
- Sundqvist, A. K., Björnerfeldt, S., Leonard, J. A., Hailer, F., Hedhammar, A., Ellegren, H. and Vilà, C. 2006. Unequal contribution of sexes in the origin of dog breeds. Genetics 172(2), pp. 1121-1128. (10.1534/genetics.105.042358)
2005
- Hailer, F., Gautschi, B. and Helander, B. 2005. Development and multiplex PCR amplification of novel microsatellite markers in the White-tailed Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla (Aves : Falconiformes, Accipitridae). Molecular Ecology Notes 5(4), pp. 938-940. (10.1111/j.1471-8286.2005.01122.x)
Articles
- Thomas, N. E., Chadwick, E. A., Bruford, M. W. and Hailer, F. 2025. Spatio-temporal changes in effective population size in an expanding metapopulation of Eurasian otters. Evolutionary Applications 18(1), article number: e70067. (10.1111/eva.70067)
- Davies, K. L. et al. 2025. Floral structure, histochemistry and volatile compounds in Bulbophyllum species of the ‘Cirrhopetalum alliance’ (Orchidaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 207(1), pp. 10-39. (10.1093/botlinnean/boae029)
- Shaw, R. E. et al. 2025. Global meta-analysis shows action is needed to halt genetic diversity loss. Nature (10.1038/s41586-024-08458-x)
- Khan, S. et al. 2025. Epidemiological and genotypic assessment of cystic echinococcosis in ruminant populations of Northern Punjab, Pakistan: a neglected zoonotic disease. Parasitology Research 124, article number: 7. (10.1007/s00436-025-08451-x)
- Pérez-Llorca, M., Hewett, A., de la Peña Pita, A., Hailer, F. and Sánchez Vilas, J. 2024. Sexual dimorphism at different life stages: early life sexual differences in root growth in Silene latifolia. Plant Biology (10.1111/plb.13723)
- Beard, A., Thomas, R. J., Xavier, J. C., Clingham, E., Henry, L., Medeiros Mirra, R. and Hailer, F. 2024. A taste for squid: Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) diet in the South Atlantic. Waterbirds 47(1), pp. 1-16. (10.1675/063.047.0106)
- Hinds, J. et al. 2024. Multiple novel caliciviruses identified from stoats (Mustela erminea) in the United Kingdom. Access Microbiology 6(7), article number: 813. (10.1099/acmi.0.000813.v4)
- Hewett, A. M., Sanchez Vilas, J. and Hailer, F. 2024. Two novel PCR-based assays for sexing of Silene latifolia and Silene dioica plants. MethodsX 12, article number: 102708. (10.1016/j.mex.2024.102708)
- O'Rourke, E. et al. 2024. Persistence of PFOA pollution at a PTFE production site and occurrence of replacement PFASs in English freshwaters revealed by sentinel species, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Environmental Science and Technology 58(23), pp. 10195–10206. (10.1021/acs.est.3c09405)
- Basuony, A. E., Saleh, M. and Hailer, F. 2024. Mitogenomic analysis of Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppellii) confirms phylogenetic placement within the Palaearctic clade shared with its sister species, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Mitochondrial DNA Part A (10.1080/24701394.2024.2332320)
- Du Plessis, S., Chadwick, E. and Hailer, F. 2024. Could a couple of Thai otters have helped the UK’s otter population recover? Our study provides a hint. The Conversation
- Beard, A. et al. 2023. Between-year and spatial variation in body condition across the breeding cycle in a pelagic seabird, the Red-billed Tropicbird. Ecology and Evolution 13(12), article number: e10743. (10.1002/ece3.10743)
- Apaa, T. et al. 2023. Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat (Mustela erminea) Minacovirus. Journal of General Virology 104(12), article number: 1917. (10.1099/jgv.0.001917)
- du Plessis, S. J., Blaxter, M., Koepfli, K., Chadwick, E. A. and Hailer, F. 2023. Genomics reveals complex population history and unexpected diversity of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in Britain relative to genetic methods. Molecular Biology and Evolution 40(11), article number: msad207. (10.1093/molbev/msad207)
- Du Plessis, S. J., Hong, S., Lee, B., Koepfli, K., Chadwick, E. A. and Hailer, F. 2023. Mitochondrial genome-based synthesis and timeline of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) phylogeography. Animal Cells and Systems 27(1), pp. 366-377. (10.1080/19768354.2023.2283763)
- Beard, A., Madeiros Mirra, R., Clingham, E., Henry, L., Thomas, R. J. and Hailer, F. 2023. Breeding ecology, population size and nest site preferences of red-billed tropicbirds at St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. Emu - Austral Ornithology 123(3), pp. 185-194. (10.1080/01584197.2023.2205595)
- Apaa, T. et al. 2023. Sarbecoviruses of British horseshoe bats; sequence variation and epidemiology. Journal of General Virology 104(6), article number: 1859. (10.1099/jgv.0.001859)
- Basuony, A. et al. 2023. Paraphyly of the widespread generalist red fox (Vulpes vulpes): introgression rather than recent divergence of the arid-adapted Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppellii)?. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 138(4), pp. 453-469. (10.1093/biolinnean/blad001)
- Beard, A. et al. 2023. Increasing use of artificial nest chambers by seasonally segregated populations of band-rumped storm petrels hydrobates castro at St Helena, South Atlantic. Marine Ornithology 51(1), pp. 85-96.
- Khan, S., Cable, J., Younus, M., Rashid, M. I., Hailer, F. and Akbar, H. 2023. IEg67 kDa bovine hydatid cyst antigen: a candidate for developing sero-diagnostic assays for cystic echinococcosis, a disease of one health importance. Animals 13(5), article number: 866. (10.3390/ani13050866)
- Khan, S., Younus, M., Cable, J., Hailer, F., Idrees, A., Imran Rashid, M. and Akbar, H. 2023. Epidemiology of Bovine Hydatidosis: Urbanization, dogs, animal care and proximity to slaughterhouses are important risk factors for cattle. Pakistan Veterinary Journal 43(3), pp. 507-514. (10.29261/pakvetj/2023.055)
- Thomas, N. E., Hailer, F., Bruford, M. W. and Chadwick, E. A. 2022. Country-wide genetic monitoring over 21 years reveals lag in genetic recovery despite spatial connectivity, in an expanding carnivore (Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra) population. Evolutionary Applications 15(12), pp. 2125-2141. (10.1111/eva.13505)
- Dearborn, D. C., Warren, S. and Hailer, F. 2022. Meta-analysis of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IIA reveals polymorphism and positive selection in many vertebrate species. Molecular Ecology 31(24), pp. 6390-6406. (10.1111/mec.16726)
- O'Rourke, E. et al. 2022. Anthropogenic drivers of variation in concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in otters (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales. Environmental Science and Technology 56(3), pp. 1675-1687. (10.1021/acs.est.1c05410)
- Mullin, K. E., Firmin, D., White, N. F. D., Hailer, F. and Orozco ter Wengel, P. 2022. The complete mitochondrial genome of rare and critically endangered Anilany helenae (Microhylidae) of Madagascar. Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resources 7(1), pp. 153-155. (10.1080/23802359.2021.2008841)
- Mullin, K. E., Rakotomanga, M. G., Razafiarimanana, M. L., Barata, I. M., Dawson, J., Hailer, F. and Orozco ter Wengel, P. 2021. First amphibian inventory of one of Madagascar’s smallest protected areas, Ankafobe, extends the range of the Critically Endangered Anilany helenae (Vallan, 2000) and the Endangered Boophis andrangoloaka (Ahl, 1928). Herpetological Notes 14, pp. 521-531.
- Watson, S. E. et al. 2020. Parasites of an Arctic scavenger; the wolverine (Gulo gulo). International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 13, pp. 178-185. (10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.10.004)
- Päckert, M. et al. 2020. “Into and out of” the Qinghai‐Tibet plateau and the Himalayas: centers of origin and diversification across five clades of Eurasian montane and alpine passerine birds. Ecology and Evolution 10(17), pp. 9283-9300. (10.1002/ece3.6615)
- Mead, D. et al. 2020. The genome sequence of the Eurasian river otter, Lutra lutra Linnaeus 1758 [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research 5, pp. 33. (10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15722.1)
- Barbato, M. et al. 2020. Adaptive introgression from indicine cattle into white cattle breeds from Central Italy. Scientific Reports, article number: 1279. (10.1038/s41598-020-57880-4)
- Liu, Z. et al. 2019. Pseudogenization of Mc1r gene associated with transcriptional changes related to melanogensis explains leucistic phenotypes in Oreonectes cavefish (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 57(4), pp. 900-909. (10.1111/jzs.12286)
- Barbato, M. et al. 2017. Genomic signatures of adaptive introgression from European mouflon into domestic sheep. Scientific Reports 7, article number: 7623. (10.1038/s41598-017-07382-7)
- Reiners, T. E., Fuchs, M., Hailer, F., Janke, A. and Nowak, C. 2017. Establishing species-specific sexing markers suitable for non-invasive samples of species lacking genomic resources: an example using the highly endangered common hamster Cricetus cricetus. Conservation Genetics Resources 9(2), pp. 253-255. (10.1007/s12686-016-0664-2)
- Kutschera, V. E. et al. 2016. High genetic variability of vagrant polar bears illustrates importance of population connectivity in fragmented sea ice habitats. Animal Conservation 19(4), pp. 337-349. (10.1111/acv.12250)
- Liu, Z. et al. 2016. Dietary specialization drives multiple independent losses and gains in the bitter taste gene repertoire of Laurasiatherian Mammals. Frontiers in Zoology 13(1), article number: 28. (10.1186/s12983-016-0161-1)
- Rossi Lafferriere, N. A. et al. 2016. Multiple paternity in a reintroduced population of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) at the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. PLOS ONE 11(3), article number: e0150245. (10.1371/journal.pone.0150245)
- Schregel, J. et al. 2015. Y chromosome haplotype distribution of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Northern Europe provides insight into population history and recovery. Molecular Ecology 24(24), pp. 6041-6060. (10.1111/mec.13448)
- Aarnes, S. G. et al. 2015. Y-chromosomal testing of brown bears (Ursus arctos): Validation of a multiplex PCR-approach for nine STRs suitable for fecal and hair samples. Forensic Science International: Genetics 19, pp. 197. (10.1016/j.fsigen.2015.07.018)
- Bidon, T., Schreck, N., Hailer, F., Nilsson, M. A. and Janke, A. 2015. Genome-wide search identifies 1.9 Mb from the polar bear Y chromosome for evolutionary analyses. Genome Biology and Evolution 7(7), pp. 2010-2022. (10.1093/gbe/evv103)
- Hailer, F. 2015. Introgressive hybridization: brown bears as vectors for polar bear alleles. Molecular Ecology 24(6), pp. 1161-1163. (10.1111/mec.13101)
- Hailer, F., James, H. . F., Olson, S. L. and Fleischer, R. C. 2015. Distinct and extinct: Genetic differentiation of the Hawaiian eagle. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 83, pp. 40-43. (10.1016/j.ympev.2014.11.005)
- Bock, F., Gallus, S., Janke, A., Hailer, F., Steck, B. L., Kumar, V. and Nilsson, M. A. 2014. Genomic resources and genetic diversity of captive lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis). Zoo Biology 33(5), pp. 440-445. (10.1002/zoo.21146)
- Kutschera, V. E., Bidon, T., Hailer, F., Rodi, J. L., Fain, S. R. and Janke, A. 2014. Bears in a forest of gene trees: Phylogenetic inference is complicated by incomplete lineage sorting and gene flow. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31(8), pp. 2004-2017. (10.1093/molbev/msu186)
- Bidon, T. et al. 2014. Brown and polar bear Y chromosomes reveal extensive male-biased gene flow within brother lineages. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31(6), pp. 1353-1363. (10.1093/molbev/msu109)
- Sanchez-Donoso, I., Huisman, J., Echegaray, J., Puigcerver, M., Rodriguez-Teijeiro, J. D., Hailer, F. and Vila, C. 2014. Detecting slow introgression of invasive alleles in an extensively restocked game bird. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2014(2) (10.3389/fevo.2014.00015)
- Gonzalez-Porter, G. P., Maldonado, J. E., Flores-Villela, O., Vogt, R. C., Janke, A., Fleischer, R. C. and Hailer, F. 2013. Cryptic population structuring and the role of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as a gene flow barrier in the critically endangered Central American River Turtle. Plos One 8(9), article number: e71668. (10.1371/journal.pone.0071668)
- Kawai, K., Hailer, F., Pauline de Guia, A., Ichikawa, H. and Saitoh, T. 2013. Refugia in Glacial Ages Led to the Current Discontinuous Distribution Patterns of the Dark Red-backed Vole Myodes rex on Hokkaido, Japan. Zoological Science 30(8), pp. 642-650. (10.2108/zsj.30.642)
- Kutschera, V. E. et al. 2013. A range-wide synthesis and timeline for phylogeographic events in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). BMC Evolutionary Biology 13, article number: 114. (10.1186/1471-2148-13-114)
- Langguth, T., Honnen, A., Hailer, F., Mizera, T., Skoric, S., Vali, U. and Zachos, F. E. 2013. Genetic structure and phylogeography of a European flagship species, the white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. Journal of Avian Biology 44(3), pp. 263-271.
- Kuhn, T., Hailer, F., Palm, H. W. and Klimpel, S. 2013. Global assessment of molecularly identified Anisakis Dujardin, 1845 (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in their teleost intermediate hosts. Folia Parasitologica 60(2), pp. 123-134. (10.14411/fp.2013.013)
- Bidon, T. et al. 2013. A sensitive and specific multiplex PCR approach for sex identification of ursine and tremarctine bears suitable for non-invasive samples. Molecular Ecology Resources 13(3), pp. 362-368. (10.1111/1755-0998.12072)
- Hailer, F., Kutschera, V. E., Hallstroem, B. M., Fain, S. R., Leonard, J. A., Arnason, U. and Janke, A. 2013. Response to comment on "Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that Polar Bears are an old and distinct bear lineage". Science 339(6127), pp. 1522. (10.1126/science.1228066)
- Kleven, O., Hallstroem, B. M., Hailer, F., Janke, A., Hagen, S. B., Kopatz, A. and Eiken, H. G. 2012. Identification and evaluation of novel di- and tetranucleotide microsatellite markers from the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Conservation Genetics Resources 4(3), pp. 737-741. (10.1007/s12686-012-9634-5)
- Hailer, F. et al. 2012. Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that polar bears are an old and distinct bear lineage. Science 336(6079), pp. 344-347. (10.1126/science.1216424)
- Gonzalez-Porter, G. P., Hailer, F., Flores-Villela, O., Garcia-Anleu, R. and Maldonado, J. E. 2011. Patterns of genetic diversity in the critically endangered Central American river turtle: human influence since the Mayan age?. Conservation Genetics 12(5), pp. 1229-1242. (10.1007/s10592-011-0225-x)
- Bozarth, C. A., Hailer, F., Rockwood, L. L., Edwards, C. W. and Maldonado, J. E. 2011. Coyote colonization of northern Virginia and admixture with Great Lakes wolves. Journal of Mammalogy 92(5), pp. 1070-1080. (10.1644/10-MAMM-A-223.1)
- Ahlering, M. A., Hailer, F., Roberts, M. T. and Foley, C. 2011. A simple and accurate method to sex savannah, forest and asian elephants using noninvasive sampling techniques. Molecular Ecology Notes 11(5), pp. 831-834. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2011.03030.x)
- Levin, I. I. et al. 2011. Hippoboscid-transmitted Haemoproteus parasites (Haemosporida) infect Galapagos Pelecaniform birds: Evidence from molecular and morphological studies, with a description of Haemoproteus iwa. International Journal for Parasitology 41(10), pp. 1019-1027. (10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.03.014)
- Hailer, F., Schreiber, E. A., Miller, J. M., Levin, I. I., Parker, P. G., Chesser, R. T. and Fleischer, R. C. 2011. Long-term isolation of a highly mobile seabird on the Galapagos. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278(1707), pp. 817-825. (10.1098/rspb.2010.1342)
- Andree, K. et al. 2010. Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 April 2010-31 May 2010. Molecular Ecology Resources 10(6), pp. 1098-1105. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02898.x)
- Honnen, A., Hailer, F., Kenntner, N., Literak, I., Dubska, L. and Zachos, F. E. 2010. Mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites reveal high diversity and genetic structure in an avian top predator, the white-tailed sea eagle, in central Europe. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society Linnean Society of London 99(4), pp. 727-737. (10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01373.x)
- Dowling, D. K., Maklakov, A. A., Friberg, U. and Hailer, F. 2009. Applying the genetic theories of ageing to the cytoplasm: cytoplasmic genetic covariation for fitness and lifespan. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22(4), pp. 818-827. (10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01692.x)
- Johnson, J. A., Tingay, R. E., Culver, M., Hailer, F., Clarke, M. L. and Mindell, D. P. 2009. Long-term survival despite low genetic diversity in the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle. Molecular Ecology 18(1), pp. 54-63. (10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.04012.x)
- Dearborn, D. C., Hailer, F. and Fleischer, R. C. 2008. Microsatellite primers for relatedness and population structure in great frigatebirds (Pelecaniformes: Fregatidae). Molecular Ecology Resources 8(6), pp. 1399-1401. (10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02351.x)
- Hailer, F. and Leonard, J. A. 2008. Hybridization among three native North American Canis species in a region of natural sympatry. Plos One 3(10), article number: e3333. (10.1371/journal.pone.0003333)
- Bjornerfeldt, S., Hailer, F., Nord, M. and Vila, C. 2008. Assortative mating and fragmentation within dog breeds. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8, article number: 28. (10.1186/1471-2148-8-28)
- Helander, B., Hailer, F. and Vilà, C. 2007. Morphological and genetic sex identification of white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nestlings. Journal of Ornithology 148(4), pp. 435-442. (10.1007/s10336-007-0156-y)
- Tingay, R. E., Dawson, D. A., Pandhal, J., Clarke, M. L., David, V. A., Hailer, F. and Culver, M. 2007. Isolation of 22 new Haliaeetus microsatellite loci and their characterization in the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) and three other Haliaeetus eagle species. Molecular Ecology Notes 7(4), pp. 711-715. (10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01690.x)
- Hailer, F. et al. 2007. Phylogeography of the white-tailed eagle, a generalist with large dispersal capacity. Journal of Biogeography 34(7), pp. 1193-1206. (10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01697.x)
- Dowling, D. K., Friberg, U., Hailer, F. and Arnqvist, G. 2007. Intergenomic epistasis for fitness: within-population interactions between cytoplasmic and nuclear genes in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 175(1), pp. 235-244. (10.1534/genetics.105.052050)
- Hailer, F. et al. 2006. Bottlenecked but long-lived: high genetic diversity retained in white-tailed eagles upon recovery from population decline. Biology Letters 2(2), pp. 316-319. (10.1098/rsbl.2006.0453)
- Sundqvist, A. K., Björnerfeldt, S., Leonard, J. A., Hailer, F., Hedhammar, A., Ellegren, H. and Vilà, C. 2006. Unequal contribution of sexes in the origin of dog breeds. Genetics 172(2), pp. 1121-1128. (10.1534/genetics.105.042358)
- Hailer, F., Gautschi, B. and Helander, B. 2005. Development and multiplex PCR amplification of novel microsatellite markers in the White-tailed Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla (Aves : Falconiformes, Accipitridae). Molecular Ecology Notes 5(4), pp. 938-940. (10.1111/j.1471-8286.2005.01122.x)
Book sections
- Hailer, F., Kutschera, V. E. and Zachos, F. E. 2019. A summary of brown bear genetic studies: Phylogeny, phylogeography and evolutionary relationships with polar bears. In: Schlup, P. and Hertwig, S. T. eds. Of Bears and Men: Conclusions of the 1st International Bear Meeting IBear. Bern: Haupt Verlag, pp. 10-29.
- Hailer, F. and Welch, A. J. 2016. Evolutionary history of polar and brown bears. In: eLS. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 1-8., (10.1002/9780470015902.a0026303)
Websites
- Hailer, F. 2016. Why dog breeds aren’t considered separate species. [Online]. The Conversation: The Conversation Trust. Available at: https://theconversation.com/why-dog-breeds-arent-considered-separate-species-56113
Research
In my group we focus on studying endangered mammalian and avian top predators, conducting research into their evolution, adaptation, ecology and conservation.
Genetics and Genomics
My research interests are broad, focussing on surveying genetic variation within and among species to infer key processes in ecology and evolution, such as speciation, adaptation, introgression and population structuring. I am also interested in the causes and consequences of dispersal, mechanisms of loss or maintenance of genetic diversity, and disease ecology.
Understanding these processes often requires knowledge about population structure and phylogeographic history. Hence, my research traces the origin and fate of genetic variation within individuals to their populations and species, and continues deeper into phylogenetic time scales. In this context I find it particularly fascinating to see how independently inherited parts of the genome reflect different aspects of present and past processes.
In my research I have studied a wide range of taxa, including bears, eagles, otters, various species of tropical seabirds, wolves, coyotes and dogs, turtles, fruit flies, lynxes, elephants etc., spanning arctic to tropical habitats.
Ecology and Conservation
In my group we also use a variety of field-based or other (non-genetic) approaches to study biodiversity, for example:
- Being part of the Cardiff University Otter Group (Twitter), we study a range of aspects of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra), including e.g. population genomics and analysis of contaminants.
- We work on the population genomic monitoring of the reintroduction of white-tailed eagles to the British Isles, collaboration with, e.g., the Wellcome Sanger institute, Forestry England, University of Edinburgh, and Eagle Reintroduction Wales.
- We study various aspects of seabird biology, working closely with Cardiff University Storm Petrel team (see us on Twitter) and also with partners at the Smithsonian Institution.
- In addition, we study a variety of mammals, incl. foxes and wolves - if it's got DNA, we might work on it!
Teaching
Undergraduate level:
- BI1001 Skills for Science
- BI2131 Animal Diversity and Adaptation
- BI2132 Genetics and its Applications
- BI2136 Ecology and Conservation (co-module leader)
(part B: field course 'Marine Conservation' on Borneo) - BI3153 Evolution and Adaptation (module leader)
- BI3154 Biodiversity and Conservation
Master's level:
- BIT002 Research Techniques in Biosciences
- BIT011 Key Skills in Research Practice
- BIT055 Placement and Field Course
Some photos from our Borneo 'Marine Conservation' field course:
Biography
| Since 2022 | Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University |
| 2015-2022 | Lecturer, Cardiff University |
| 2011-2014 | Postdoc, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberg Research Institute & Goethe University Frankfurt |
| 2007-2010 | Postdoc, Smithsonian National Zoo, Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA |
| 2006-2007 | Postdoc, Department of Evolutionary Biology (EBC), Uppsala University, Sweden |
| 2006 | PhD, Evolutionary Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden |
| 2001 | MSc, Biology, Uppsala University, Sweden |
| 1998 | Basic exam in Biology ('Vordiplom'), Marburg University, Germany |
After studies in biology at Marburg University (Germany), I completed my Master’s degree at Uppsala University (Sweden), where I continued to pursue PhD studies in the lab of Hans Ellegren and Carles Vilà (now at CSIC, Spain). My PhD work focused on conservation genetics of white-tailed eagles, but I also worked on other projects on dog domestication and canid population genetics. I then worked with Jennifer Leonard on hybridization of coyotes and wolves in North America. In 2007 I started a new postdoc with Rob Fleischer at the Smithsonian National Zoo. In 2010-2014 I worked at BiK-F in Axel Janke’s group, studying population genetics and adaptation of arctic vertebrates and their boreotemperate counterparts.
Professional memberships
- Genetics Society UK (2016-2020: Elected committee member, representing 'Evolutionary, ecological and population genetics')
- American Ornithological Society (AOS)
- European Society of Evolutionary Biology (ESEB)
- Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE)
Academic positions
2015: NESCent (National Evolutionary Synthesis Center), Duke University. Visiting researcher.
Committees and reviewing
| Since 2018 | Reviews Editor for Heredity |
| Since 2012 | Associate Editor for Animal Conservation |
| 2014 - 2017 | Junior researcher representative on Goethe University Frankfurt's Graduate Academy (GRADE) |
| Peer reviewer for >40 journals [count updated in spring 2020] including PNAS, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Nature Ecology and Evolution, Molecular Ecology, Heredity, Nature Communications and Conservation Genetics |
Supervisions
I currently supervise/co-supervise the following PhD students:
Current supervision
Annalea Beard
Research student
Maya Lhoste
Research student
Past projects
Previous PhD students
Dr Sarah du Plessis, PhD student, Cardiff University: Genetics to Genomics: Conservation of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) on Local and Global Scales. 2019-2024 (primary supervisor)
Dr Ali Basuony, PhD student, Cardiff University: Evolutionary genetics of two sister taxa, Rüppell's fox (Vulpes rueppelli) and red fox (V. vulpes). 2018-2023 (primary supervisor)
Dr Zoe Deakin, PhD student, Cardiff University: Ecological drivers of population size and marine distribution of storm-petrels in the northeast Atlantic. 2018-2022 (co-supervisor)
Dr Katherine Mullin, PhD student, Cardiff University: Assessing the effects of habitat fragmentation on amphibian populations in Madagascar’s Central Highlands. 2018-2023 (co-supervisor)
Dr Hannah Hereward, PhD student at Cardiff University: The Conservation Biology of the Monteiro’s Storm-Petrel and Band-Rumped Storm-Petrel on Ilhéu da Praia, Azores. 2018-2022. (co-supervisor)
Dr Nia Thomas, PhD student at Cardiff University: Dynamics of demographic expansion and population structure in the otter (Lutra lutra). 2016-2021 (co-supervisor)
Dr Sophie Watson, PhD student at Cardiff University: Microbiota of Arctic species. 2017-2021. (co-supervisor)
Dr Alexandra McCubbin, PhD student at Cardiff University: Genetic and olfactory signals of mate choice in seabirds. 2016-21. (primary supervisor)
Previous and current Master’s students:
Manus Leidi, MBiol student, 2024-25. Historical genetic characterisation of the extinct white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) population on the British Isles.
Robert Frew, MBiol student, 2023-24. Non-invasive genomic monitoring of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra).
Reem Ghanem, MBiol student, 2023-24. Genomics of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla).
Ash Noble, MSc student, Cardiff University, 2022-2023: Genomic assessment of genetic load in Asian wolves.
Jenny Smith, MRes student, Cardiff University, 2022-2023. AMR biomonitoring in otters and river water.
Madeline Davis, MBiol student, Cardiff University, 2022-2023. Identification and validation of novel Y-chromosomal microsatellite markers for the population genetic analysis of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra).
Sam Walker, MBiol student, Cardiff University, 2022-2023. Comparing male and female brown bear population structure among disjunct Balkan subpopulations.
Sion d’Arcy, MBiol student, Cardiff University, 2022-2023. Investigating the Genetic Structure of Otter Populations in the Southern UK.
Tyler Cuddy, MSc student, Cardiff University: Spatio-temporal Land-Use Change of Juvenile White-Tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) on the Isle of Wight. 2022
Alicia Shroll, MSc student, Cardiff University: The Use of Spraint Samples to Study the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra): The First Genetic Record of a Rare and Critically Endangered Otter Species in Lebanon. 2022
Matthew Hopes, MBiol student, Cardiff University: Disparity between geographic and genetic recovery of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) in the UK. 2021-22
Hannah James, MRes student, Cardiff University: Antimicrobial Resistance in UK Freshwater Ecosystems. 2020-21.
Lucy Rowley, MBiol. student, Cardiff University: Genetics of Cyanoramphus parakeets. 2019-20
Nicholas Price, M.Sc. student, Cardiff University: Antimicrobial resistance in freshwaters. 2019-20
Matthew Pollard, MRes student, Cardiff University, 2017-18. Identification and characterisation of regions of the brown bear Y chromosome.
Liam Thomas, MRes student, Cardiff University, 2016-17. Bear Y chromosome genetics.
Contact Details
HailerF@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 74125
Sir Martin Evans Building, Room C5.12 (central wing, 5th floor), Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
+44 29208 74125
Sir Martin Evans Building, Room C5.12 (central wing, 5th floor), Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
Research themes
Specialisms
- Evolutionary biology
- Conservation and biodiversity
- molecular ecology
- Genomics
