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Slideshow of images for Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory

News and Events 2011-2013

Good luck to Martin Taylor and welcome Mark and Michael - two new Molecular Ecology faculty start in May!
Congratulations to Andy Briscoe who recently successfully defended his Ph.D. and is moving on to a PD position at the Natural History Museum!
MEFGL contributes to BBC TV Science Programme - Bang Goes the Theory
Bangor MEFGL Team publishes the first direct evidence that experimental harvesting of fish populations drives genetically based shifts in body size and maturation.
What a week! Papers, promotions and international award to Mark DeBruyn!
Gary Carvalho appointed to UK National Committee for Biodiversity - Find out more...
Local scientists and teachers unite to bring cutting-edge science to Bodedern School (Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern) - Find out more...
Nielsen et al. Traceability of fish to population of origin in Nature Communications
Fonseca et al. reveal mechanisms of chimera formation in metagenetic datasets NAR
Bik et al. overview eukaryotic biodiversity sequencing in TREE
DeBruyn et al. reveal Holocene faunal histories in TREE
FishPopTrace feature article in 'Science'.
Group Social Activities

The Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL) is a leading research division within the School of Biological Sciences' (SBS) Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, one of the largest research areas within the University. The MEFGL represents one of Europe’s largest centres focusing on population and species diversity of aquatic animals, with additional activities on terrestrial mammals and invertebrates. A central part of our work is the application of molecular markers such as microsatellites, AFLPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and sequence data (454 Roche and Sanger) to fundamental evolutionary and ecological questions relating to the origins, levels, distribution and ecological significance of genetic variation in wild populations. In addition to the focus on neutral markers, facilities and expertise are expanding on the functional analysis of genomes, including application of transcriptomics and Real-Time PCR. The MEFGL complements molecular genetic data with detailed ecological, behavioural and physiological information to facilitate examination of the underlying causes of individual, population or species diversity in time and space.

The Bangor-based Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory (MEFGL) in 2013 will be extended further with the appointment of two new lecturers. Martin Taylor, who was a founder member of the MEFGL since 2005, on 1 January 2013 took up a new post as Senior Lecturer in Molecular Ecology at the University of East Anglia (martin.taylor@uea.ac.uk). The two new lecturers are: Dr Mark de Bruyn who has been based in MEFGL since his Marie-Curie Fellowship in 2009, will start on 1 May 2013, and Dr Michael Knapp, Research Fellow in the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution Department of Anatomy University of Otago, who will start in Bangor on 1 April 2013. The new appointments signal a significant expansion in the strength and scope of research and training activities of the MEFGL, especially in the area of ancient DNA to explore the impacts of long-term environmental change on biodiversity, and to reveal novel insights into the demographic history of extinct species, especially birds and mammals.

Summary details of MEFGL activities, scope and facilities can be obtained from the downloadable MEFGL Research Pamphlet.