The Genetics Unit

The Australian Museum Genetics Unit is involved in a wide range of scientific research both within the Australian Museum, with outside institutions and other government agencies. The Genetics Unit curates a large frozen tissue collection of approximately 70,000+ samples comprising a large variety of both exotic and native Australian animals.

DNA main Lab
Andrew King © Australian Museum

The Australian Museum genetics laboratory is one of the few museum genetics facilites in Australia.

There has been a large amount of research work done in the Genetics Unit since its inception – as the Evolutionary Biology Unit - in 1988, which has been contributed to by many highly skilled staff over the years.

Research work in the Genetics Unit can be grouped into several broad areas: Phylogenetics, Population genetics and Biodiversity, Wildlife forensics, and work with low template DNA from museum specimens.

Current research

The Genetics Unit's current research collaborations include:

identification of populations within species that have high conservation or economic value
identification of new species
investigation of the evolutionary relationships of animals
Wildlife forensics using DNA-based identification
Check out some more projects where the genetics component is carried out in our lab here

The Genetics Unit is also responsible for frozen and ethanol-stored tissue collections. These represent a major scientific resource for the investigation of biodiversity. Specimens from the collections may be made available for scientific research under licence.

The Museum particularly wishes to acknowledge the vital support given by Mr Kenneth Myer and his wife Yasuko during the early years of the Evolutionary Biology Unit's operation and to record its appreciation of the generous bequest Mr and Mrs Myer left the Evolutionary Biology Unit following their tragic deaths in an aviation accident in 1993.

Dr Rebecca Johnson , Head of Research (Acting)
Last Updated: 22 December 2010