Alana Alexander

Alana Alexander
Alma materOregon State University
Scientific career
FieldsBioinformatics
InstitutionsUniversity of Otago
ThesisThe influence of social structure and molecular evolution on genetic diversity in the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) (2014)
Doctoral advisorC. Scott Baker

Alana Alexander (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutu)[1] is a New Zealand bioinformatician at the University of Otago. In 2021, she was awarded a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship to investigate the past impacts of fisheries on Hector's and Māui dolphins, and use genomics to inform models of the future effects of climate change on whales and dolphins.

Education

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Alexander completed a PhD in Wildlife Science at Oregon State University in 2014, with a thesis titled The influence of social structure and molecular evolution on genetic diversity in the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), supervised by Scott Baker.[2][3]

Research career

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Following her PhD, Alexander undertook postdoctoral work at the University of Kansas, working on sperm whales. Her research showed that there was a "sperm whale Eve", from whom all other sperm whales are descended, about 80,000 years ago.[4][5] Following this she returned to New Zealand for a postdoctoral position in Neil Gemmell's laboratory in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago. Part of her project explored the genetics of barking in huntaways.[2][6] Following this, Alexander attained a Rutherford Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on hologenomes, where the genomes of an organism and the microbes it hosts are considered together.[2] In November 2021 Alexander won a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship to use genomics to investigate the impacts of fisheries on Hector's and Maui dolphins in the past, and to predict climate change impacts on whale and dolphin populations.[7] Alexander plans to work with hapū to co-develop "science pūrākau" (which translates literally as "science stories"[8]) to create inspirational narratives to support people who have kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga over taonga (treasured) species.[9] The Fellowship is worth $800,000 over five years.[9]

Alexander and a student are also undertaking pest-control research funded by Predator Free 2050, looking at how understanding genes involved in possum reproduction could help New Zealand meet its predator control targets, and what social licence might be needed for gene drives to be used in predator control in a culturally-informed way.[10][11]

Recognition

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Alexander was received the 2020 New Supervisor of the Year Award by the Otago University Students' Association.[12] She has also received a University of Otago Kaupapa Māori award, and a Fulbright Science and Technology Award.[7]

Selected publications

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Scholia has a profile for Alana Alexander (Q54498604).
  • E Carroll; N Patenaude; A Alexander; et al. (27 June 2011). "Population structure and individual movement of southern right whales around New Zealand and Australia". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 432: 257–268. doi:10.3354/MEPS09145. ISSN 0171-8630. Wikidata Q58493804.
  • Alana Alexander; Debbie Steel; Kendra Hoekzema; Sarah L Mesnick; Daniel Engelhaupt; Iain Kerr; Roger Payne; C Scott Baker (2 April 2016). "What influences the worldwide genetic structure of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)?". Molecular Ecology. 25 (12): 2754–2772. doi:10.1111/MEC.13638. ISSN 0962-1083. PMID 27037911. Wikidata Q35977599.
  • STEPHEN M. BACA; ALANA ALEXANDER; GREY T. GUSTAFSON; ANDREW E. Z. SHORT (12 June 2017). "Ultraconserved elements show utility in phylogenetic inference of Adephaga (Coleoptera) and suggest paraphyly of 'Hydradephaga'". Systematic Entomology. 42 (4): 786–795. doi:10.1111/SYEN.12244. ISSN 0307-6970. Wikidata Q58493792.
  • Alana Alexander; Ludovic Dutoit (20 June 2020). "Roe deer on ice: selection despite limited effective population size through the Pleistocene". Molecular Ecology. doi:10.1111/MEC.15511. ISSN 0962-1083. PMID 32564462. Wikidata Q96618037.

References

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  1. ^ "Alana Alexander | Te Hononga Pūkenga". www.tehonongapukenga.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Dr. Alana Alexander". gemmell-lab.otago.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  3. ^ Alexander, Alana. "The influence of social structure and molecular evolution on genetic diversity in the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)". Oregon State University library. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  4. ^ Platt, John R. (14 June 2016). "Sperm Whales Have an "Eve"". Hakai Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  5. ^ Blakemore, Erin. "Every Sperm Whale Alive Today May Have Descended From the Same Female". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  6. ^ Gibb, John (30 October 2018). "Huntaways' bark begs serious questions". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b Royal Society Te Apārangi (11 November 2021). "Alana Alexander". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  8. ^ Māori dictionary online. "Te Aka Māori Dictionary". Te Aka Māori Dictionary. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Research into growing tissue for organ transplants gets major funding". Otago Daily Times Online News. 11 November 2021. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  10. ^ MacLean, Hamish (28 September 2021). "Exploring pest control through genetics". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Genetically-modified possums and all-in-one trapping machines: funding for new predator-free studies". Stuff. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  12. ^ MacLean, Hamish (24 November 2020). "University supervisors recognised". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
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