Speaker: Elora Lopez-Nandam, Hope for Reefs Postdoctoral Fellow at California Academy of Sciences

Title: "Scales of genetic variation in corals, from clonal polyps to widespread reefs"

Abstract: Clonal, colonial corals are animals that live to be hundreds or even thousands of years old, appear to be reproductively viable for their entire adult lives, and may or may not senesce or develop cancers. In addition, they are keystone species that create the structures necessary to support biodiverse coral reef ecosystems. In my talk, I will show how studying somatic mutation rates and within-colony variation yields insights into DNA repair mechanisms that these animals may employ. It has now also yielded a new hypothesis about how their germ, stem cell, and somatic cell lineages develop and mutate across a colony’s lifetime. In addition, I will show preliminary results on the genomics of corals bred in captivity for conservation research purposes, and how the lab environment may put selective pressures on baby corals.

Host: GDCB Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

Link: https://iastate.webex.com/iastate/j.php?MTID=m48bb6a5c0e91f47209bc2c594e5abc30

Questions? Contact Clark Coffman at ccoffman@iastate.edu

April 5, 2022, GDCB Seminar: Elora Lopez-Nandam