At the time of the last orca symposium, the decade-long first human genome project was not yet complete. Killer whales were then typically studied using mitochondrial D-loop sequences and genotypes at microsatellites. The majority of studies were population- or region-specific.
Genetic studies of killer whales, like most other fields of research on this species, initially focused on the North Pacific ecotypes. Our understanding of this species may be somewhat biased by this – specifically the finding that ecological variation correlates with, and even drives genetic differentiation, is often assumed to be a species-wide trait.
The advent of high-throughput sequencing in the late 2000s marked the start of a dramatic change, making it possible to rapidly sequence complete genomes of tens and even hundreds of whole genome sequences at a reasonable cost. Genomic studies of killer whales have been at the forefront of harnessing this new technology within the field of marine mammal research.
The compatibility of genomic datasets and established public archiving of data provide the opportunity for each study to be cumulative, and able to directly compare to, and build upon previously published data. As such, we can progress from regional studies, to an increasingly detailed view of genetic variation within this species at a global scale.
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Important Update on Workshop Registration!
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To streamline the registration process and ensure better management, we have made some important changes:
The workshop registration form has been removed from the website.
Participants must now contact the workshop organizers directly via email to register.
In your registration email, please provide the following basic information:
Your full name.
Your institution.
Your reason for interest in the workshop.
The process has been simplified to ensure better management of participants. This change will allow organizers to manage registrations directly, prioritize participants based on specific criteria, and improve communication with attendees.
Please note that capacity is still limited. Therefore, we encourage you to register as soon as possible to secure your spot.
If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!
Genetics
Orca Symposium
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