The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization
Sadd, Ben M, et al. (2015). "The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization." Genome Biology. 16(76).
CV
Employment
- November 2021-current: Posdoctoral Scientist, Aquatic Phenomics and Genomics Team, Seafood Prodcution Group, Plant and Food Research
- September 2019-October 2021: Postdoctoral Scientist, Suh Lab, Uppsala University
Education
- PhD, University of Innsbruck, Austria, 2019
- BSc (Hons I) Genetics, University of Otago, New Zealand, 2012
Publications
Small, but surprisingly repetitive genomes: Transposon expansion and not polyploidy has driven a doubling in genome size in a metazoan species complex
Blommaert J., Riss S., Heacox-Lea B., Mark-Welch D., Stelzer CP. (2019). "Small, but surprisingly repetitive genomes: Transposon expansion and not polyploidy has driven a doubling in genome size in a metazoan species complex ." BMC Genomics
Genome size evolution- towards new model systems for old questions
Blommaert J.(2020). "Genome size evolution- towards new model systems for old questions." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
The avian W chromosome is a refugium for endogenous retroviruses with likely effects on female-biased mutational load and genetic incompatibilities
Peona, V., Palacios-Gimenez, O.M., Blommaert, J. Liu, Jing., Haryoko, T., Jønsson, K.A., Irestedt, M., Zhou, Q., Jern, P., Suh, A. (2021). "The avian W chromosome is a refugium for endogenous retroviruses with likely effects on female-biased mutational load and genetic incompatibilities ." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B
Genome structure of Brachionus asplanchnoidis, a Eukaryote with intrapopulation variation in genome size
Stelzer, CP., Blommaert, J., Waldvogel, AM., Pichler, M., Hecox-Lea, B., Mark-Welch, D. (2021). "Genome structure of Brachionus asplanchnoidis, a Eukaryote with intrapopulation variation in genome size." BMC Biology
Funding and Awards
Research Funding ——
- 2022-2025 Marsden Fund Award, Associate Investigator, Identifying the genomic underpinnings of successful asexuality
- 2020 Nilsson-Ehle Endowments for genome sequencing costs- value: 70,000SEK
Fellowships
I was awarded this two-year postdoctoral fellowship, but declined
Travel funding
Scholarships
June 2018-June 2019 Doktoratsstipendium aus der Nachwuchsförderung
2009-2012 Studylink Step up Scholarship
2009 University of Otago Dux Scholarship
Skills
- Molecular Biology Lab skills
- PCR and qPCR
- Cloning
- Microinjection
- In situ hybridisation
- Karyology
- Animal culture
- Brachionus plicatilis (rotifers)
- Nematostella vectensis (sea anemone)
- Bioinformatics
- Phylogenetics
- de Novo genome assembly
- Comparative genomics
Talks
Genome size variation and chromosomal architecture in Brachionus plicatilis spp.
Poster at University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Anterior-posterior axis patterning in the rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis
Poster at 6th meeting of the European Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
Genomic causes of large intraspecific genome size variation in a species of rotifer-
Talk at 5th meeting of Fresh Blood for FreshWater, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Intraspecific Genome Size Variation: If it’s not transposable elements, what is it?
Poster at Martiniplaza, Groningen, Netherlands
Genome size variation in a species of rotifer: is it trasponsons or genome duplication?
Talk at SIL Austria - LimnoAlp, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Transposon dynamics and genome size variation in a rotifer species complex
Poster at Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Rotifers of unusual (genome) size: rotifer genomes are many things, none of them logical
Talk at Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Teaching
Other Research experience
- November 2012-February 2013: Summer Intern
- Laboratory for Evolution and Development, University of Otago
- Duties included: Molecular biology and bioinformatics
- Supervisors: Peter Dearden and Elizabeth Duncan
- November 2011-Februray 2012: Summer Intern
- AgResearch, Invermay Campus
- Duties included: Bioinformatics and genomics
- Supervisor: John McEwan
Service and leadership
- 2012-2013 Social Officer, University of Otago Tramping Club
- 2011-2012 Membership Officer, University of Otago Tramping Club
- 2011-2013 Events Volunteer, University of Otago Students’ Association
- 2008-2011 Volunteer, Spirit of Adventure Trust