Aspects of the Molecular Ecology of the White Shark Carcharodon carcharias (2015)

• Passion, enthusiasm, initiative and motivation lead me to South Africa to participate in a Research Internship studying local population of white sharks.

• Identification of the gaps in white shark research, conducted while in South Africa• Review of the current literature at the

time (2010).• Correspondence with Principal

Investigators, past and present PhD students and those conducting hands on behavioral research.

• University of Aberdeen- Largest GLOBAL tissue collection, and the first to conduct genetic studies (n>400).

• Partially self-funded, with additional funding from a Studentship awarded by University of Aberdeen (2011)

• Research Funding obtained from Save Our Seas Foundation, South Africa

• Moved my life from California to Scotland.

White sharks in the Mediterranean: Population at Risk of Extinction

• Validating previous findings pertaining to colonization hypotheses of white sharks in the Mediterranean

• Adapting a protocol used to extract DNA from shark TEETH to JAW CARTILAGE• ONE previous study claimed to do this successfully.• Historical samples and trophy specimens collected through collaborations and

field trips to Italy.

Historic Material Collected between the years 1885 to 1984

WORKING WITH HISTORIC MATERIAL

• Strict quality and contaminations within laboratory protocols, and researching standards associated with working on historic material.• DNA free lab, replication, negative controls

• Ingenuity when standard methodologies failed.

• Increased reaction success rate from 26% to 76% for all DNA fragments.

Increased sample size of Mediterranean White sharks analyzed from n=3 to n=11, including two NEW Contemporary samples.

Validated previous colonization hypotheses AND found evidence of a decrease in genetic diversity over the last 100 years!

Gubili, C.*, Robinson, C.E.C*, Cliff, G. Wintner, S.P., de Sabata, E., De Innocentiis, S., Canese , S., Simes, D.W., Martin, A.P., Noble, L.R., Jones, C.S. (2015). DNA from historical and trophy samples provides insights into white shark population origins and genetic diversity. Endangered Species Research, 27(3), 233-241.*authors equally contributed

Global Population Assessments & Multiple Paternity

• Reassessed available resources, including new literature, samples and potential contacts and collaborators.

• Utilized independently developed molecular markers to assess/update the global population structure and presence of multiple paternity in a NEW litter of white shark pups.

• Analyses included Isolation by distance, exploring linear and logarithmic relationships between variables such as litter size and pup/mum size.

• Ensured the study was at a standard to most recent literature within the field – Software, Methodology, Interpretations• Maximum likelihood and Bayesian models to infer population structure.• Helps to confirm findings

• Overcame challenges associated with disproportionate sampling through exploratory data and power analyses – increased markers utilized

• Compared with findings from other research groups/species.

Collaborations with:

Develop new molecular techniques to investigate Evolutionary history, contemporary and historic population structure, relatedness, multiple paternity and conservation

status.

INFORM Conservation Management Strategies – “REAL WORLD APPLICATION”

Scientific Writing and Communication• Regular progress reports to Funding Bodies, which included running preliminary data

analyses as it became available.• These reports were planned throughout the course of the year at weekly meeting

where minutes were transcribed and agreed upon to help keep deadlines• Preparing figures that translate to a non-research based audience.• Presenting at international conferences• Three additional FIRST author manuscripts in preparation from my Thesis.

Professional Development

• Creativity in Research (Aberdeen)• Managing your PhD (Aberdeen)• Time Management Skills (Aberdeen)• Writing your research for publication (Aberdeen)• Introduction to Genomics: Linux, R, Python

scripting (Sheffield)• Introduction to BioLinux Software (Glasgow)• Use of High Powered Computer Cluster (Aberdeen)

In Conclusion• Managed and undertook tasks in accordance with a dynamic project plan,

contributed to the development of the plan – building on an existing research project.

• Kept up to date with Current Knowledge and advances in the field

• Helped create and support international collaborations with museums, Universities, and Conservation Organizations.

• Collected sufficient samples within the time frame of the project to produce publishable results.

• Preformed data analyses required within the field to obtain results, including multiple statistical models to assess levels of population differentiation.

• Presented at Scientific Conferences, at University Seminars and group meetings• Published one chapter of PhD thesis, with three additional manuscripts in

preparation for submission by September.

• Maintain self-motivation throughout a largely Independent research project, including effective time management, initiative and problem solving.