Neil Gemmell

Neil Gemmell is a Sesquicentennial Distinguished Professor and holds the AgResearch Chair in Reproduction and Genomics at the University of Otago. His research blends ecology, population, conservation and evolutionary biology with leading-edge genomic technologies. He has developed and applied these new technologies to enable the study of the ecology and evolution of a variety of different species. A recurring theme in his research is that of reproduction, with past and current projects spanning mating systems and mate choice, sperm function, sex determination, sex allocation, and inter-sexual genomic conflict. A strong commitment to conservation has led Neil to develop new tools and research services for key end users in the conservation and biosecurity arenas, with the genetic control of pests a prominent recent focus. Neil recently gained global recognition for a modern-day investigation of one of the world’s most mysterious bodies of water, Loch Ness, using the latest environmental DNA approaches.