New Canada Research Chair in Conservation Genetics and Biodiversity

Trent University has had its third Canada Research Chair (crc) approved in the second round of a federal government program with the naming of Professor Bradley White as Chair in Conservation Genetics and Biodiversity in the Department of Biology at Trent University.

Dr. White is currently a faculty member at McMaster University and conjunct professor of biology at Trent University. White, director of the Trent-Natural Resources Wildlife dna and Forensic Laboratory, is interested in genetics, and forensic science related to protection of biodiversity in ecosystems.

As Chair, White's research program will consider the application of automated environmental genomics to wildlife management. Its overall goal is to efficiently and economically provide dna (the genetic material of an organism) profiling data in a form useful to wildlife managers and policy makers. Various genome projects in the past 10 years have stimulated the development of automated technology. White plans to use these techniques to develop both a robotic dna profiling centre at Trent University and analytical and display tools of these data in a Geographical Information System (gis) format that provides information useful to managers.

The Wildlife Forensic dna Laboratory is a service and research facility at Trent University that provides dna forensic evidence for provincial, federal, international, and non-government agencies. It was originally established at Queen's University in 1989 by White, who transferred the service to McMaster University in 1991 and then to Trent 1997. White moved his Wildlife dna Forensic Laboratory to Trent University in 1998 because the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources had moved to Peterborough and many of their scientists were based on campus, and because the university has a commitment to Environmental and Resource Studies. This laboratory is now the most comprehensive facility of its kind in eastern Canada.

Trent President and Vice-Chancellor Bonnie Patterson expressed delight that another outstanding researcher has received a Canada Research Chair at Trent University.

"Trent's research reputation continues to grow and is further enhanced by this announcement," she said. "Professor White's Chair will support Trent's strategic research focus on Environmental and Natural Resources Studies."

White anticipates his technology developments in the Natural Resources dna Profiling and Forensic Centre and automated systems will be used by a number of Trent faculty involved with natural populations, including birds and various mammals such as elk. The dna/Forensic Centre will also interact with faculty undertaking research in the Water Quality Centre at Trent. It will also expand its relationship with a major partner, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (omnr), both in wildlife forensics and monitoring species and ecosystems. Robotic equipment has been obtained with Canada Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Innovation Trust funds in partnership with omnr, CRS Robotics of Burlington and Maxxam Analytics.

Professor White is expected to take up the post effective July 1, 2001.