Mr. Tom Lavelle, Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Science teacher, was a presenter at this year’s Government eDNA Working Group conference hosted by the Columbus Zoo. The focus of his presentation was to highlight some of the dynamic student work being conducted in the SV Center for Biotechnology Research. The projects discussed ranged from single-species detection studies for hard-to-find animals, such as hellbender salamanders and queen snakes, to metabarcoding studies where genetics are used to determine all fish species in local waterways. 

The conference was attended by over 100 top government conservation geneticists from around the country. Government agencies in attendance included United States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The Smithsonian Institute of Natural History, United States Department of Agriculture and more.

“Being invited to speak to a group comprised of so many top geneticists and field biologists from across the country was a terrific honor,” said Mr. Lavelle. “What was even more impressive was the amount of positive feedback and support that these scientists offered to the SV Center for Biotechnology Research. Because of these new professional relationships, the biotechnology laboratory research experiences will become even more streamlined with current practices.”

Mr. Lavelle added, “It was fascinating to hear of the numerous research initiatives being conducted. These projects ranged from sequencing DNA gathered in the deeper regions of the oceans to determine what lives in these hard to access environments to using eDNA to track invasive reptile population movements in Florida as well as invasive fish in the Great Lakes. My time at the conference concluded with a tour of the Columbus Zoo’s Freshwater Mussel facility where researcher raise species of these imperiled mollusks so that they can be introduced into favorable ecosystems. The whole experience was outstanding!”

Posted: October 2, 2024