Johnny McNeill L&S Biological Sciences
Mapping the Genetic Basis of Disease in Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most closely monitored model organisms for endangered species, yet it remains unknown why some individuals are susceptible to infectious disease while genetically similar conspecifics survive. Small populations face a paradox in which the bottlenecks that threaten survival simultaneously erode the immune diversity required to resist pathogens, creating a feedback loop thought to accelerate extinction risk. Genomic evidence for this relationship in wild populations remains scarce. This project tests that framework by pairing whole-genome sequences from hundreds of monk seals with long-term disease records collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over decades of monitoring, a combination unavailable for virtually any other wild population. I will use this data to reconstruct a multigenerational pedigree, quantify inbreeding, and identify disease-susceptibility variants through a genome-wide association study. This work will produce the first population-wide map of immune gene diversity in an endangered pinniped, generating actionable data for conservation management.
Message To Sponsor
I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on this project and cannot thank you enough for your support. The Hawaiian monk seal sits at a rare intersection of conservation urgency and genomic tractability, offering a unique opportunity to understand how immune diversity shapes survival in a species on the edge of extinction. The privilege of aiding such a vulnerable species is one I deeply appreciate, and your generosity makes it possible. Thank you.