Dr. Paul Wilson was renewed for a second, five-year term as Trent University’s Canada research chair (CRC) in DNA Profiling, Forensics and Functional Genomics, one of two Trent professors named in an official CRC announcement on October 12, 2012 by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, minister of State (Science and Technology). Also named was Dr. Mehdi Sharifi, the new Canada research chair in Sustainable Agriculture.
As the renewed Canada research hair in DNA Profiling, Forensics and Functional Genomics, Professor Wilson will receive $500,000 over five years to continue his research on the impacts of human modifications to the landscape and climate change on the population structure and the biodiversity of genes in sensitive species.
Prof. Wilson received over $1 Million in research funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) during his first term as a Canada Research Chair, to study caribou and Canada lynx across the country, polar bears in Hudson Bay and moose in the southern range in and around Algonquin Provincial Park. In addition, research funds from the CRC program have allowed Prof. Wilson to design and implement longer-term collaborative studies testing the impacts of climate change on the genes of flying squirrels and deer mice as model species, working with Dr. Jeff Bowman of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Dr. Andrew McAdam at Guelph University.
During his term as Canada Research Chair, Prof. Wilson has graduated or is currently supervising 25 graduate students, as well as post-doctoral fellows, and has established research collaborations with academics across Canada. Working with industry in the hydro, forestry and mining sectors, federal and provincial government agencies, and First Nations communities, Prof. Wilson collaborates to develop timely, cost-effective and non-invasive genetic-based toolkits for implementation into environmental impact assessments to meet the emerging demands of multiple stakeholders.
A large-scale national caribou genetic project, in collaboration with Dr. Micheline Manseau of Parks Canada and the University of Manitoba's Natural Resource Institute, has seen engagement by Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Conservation, OMNR and First Nations communities, based on a clear need for efficiency and effectiveness in generating the necessary results for environmental impact assessments.
"We have demonstrated the proof-of-concept of our research through the DNA profiling of thousands of caribou listed as threatened -- without handling an animal,” said Prof. Wilson, “and we do so through the non-invasive winter collection of poop that turns out to be an excellent delivery system for high quality DNA."
According to Prof. Wilson, from that DNA source the caribou research team can estimate the number of caribou in an area and if done over time, can indicate whether a population is declining or not. The team can identify the number of populations and levels of connectivity among herds while gaining an understanding of the human modifications that may be inhibiting movement on the landscape.
"This information provides a significant amount of data from the individual level, to herds, populations, ecotypes and subspecies,” he explained. “The additional value added of non-invasive genetic profiling is proving to be a viable alternative to the more invasive collaring of caribou for obtaining telemetry data.
While Dr. Wilson's research has engaged multiple stakeholders, perhaps one of the most significant beneficiaries of these large-scale collaborative projects are his students. Prof. Wilson expects his students to present and communicate their findings effectively at partnership meetings, whether it be the Polar Bear Technical Committee or a Caribou Partners Meeting with all relevant parties attending.
"Students need the ‘real-world’ perspective to understand and frame the presentation, not interpretation, of their findings. In an increasingly competitive workforce, graduates will need to be able to listen and talk to a range of stakeholder perspectives on economic, community, conservation and political issues. In surveying a number of young professionals in the environmental sector, many are self-employed consultants and this may be the reality for developing a professional career with fewer in-house government and industry jobs. It is important for me as an educator and supervisor to develop applicable skills in students beyond the laboratory bench and encourage them to develop their own professional network while in graduate school."
Posted on Friday, October 12, 2012.