Holly Ernest
Holly Ernest
Holly Ernest, DVM, PhD
Wildlife Population Ecology, Genetics, Genomics, and Disease Ecology for Conservation and Wildlife Health
Wildlife Biologist, Population Geneticist, and Research Veterinarian
Professor, Wyoming Excellence Chair in Disease Ecology
Lead Investigator: Wildlife Genomics and Disease Ecology Lab
Dedicated to:
- Research in wildlife sciences for improved animal, ecosystem, and human health.
- Research to develop and apply latest methods in genomic science, wildlife biology, disease ecology, toward health, conservation, and management of wild animal populations.
- Educating the next generation of scientists, wildlife biologists, and veterinarians in disease ecology and wildlife genomics
- Providing wildlife population health service and information
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wildlifegenetichealth/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hollyernest
ORCID Researcher Page: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0205-8818
Education
- Ph.D. Ecology, with emphasis on Wildlife Genetics and Population Health:University of California, Davis.
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Cum Laude, Ohio State University.
- M.S., Ohio State University, Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology.
- B.Sc., Cornell University, Biology (Animal Science and Biology).
Research
Interdisciplinary applied and basic research in genetics, genomics, biology, and disease ecology for wildlife conservation and population health.
View publications.
- Free-ranging species of conservation & management concern
- Threatened and endangered species
Special interests in genetics and genomics for wildlife health and disease ecology: Population Genetics; Molecular DNA to reconstruct pedigrees (family trees) to reveal ecological relationships among individuals, kin groups, populations and disease distributions; Discovery of associations among genetic mechanisms, genetic diversity and evolutionary history and phenotypic diversity (phenotype is the composite of an organism’s observable characteristics or traits).
Special interest species: Mountain Lion, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, Sea Otter, Black Bear, Hummingbirds, Great Gray Owl, Yellow-billed Magpie, Swainson’s Hawk, ticks, bugs, worms, germs.
Special interest diseases: Avian pox virus, avian hemoparasites (such as avian malaria), West Nile virus, Trichinella in bears and wild pigs, and others
Special interest regions: Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West, California and western North America, Mexico, Chile; South/Central America; global interests
See Research pages
Funding agencies and collaborators
- Wyoming Department of Fish and Game
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Wyoming Wildlife Council
- Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation
- Colorado State University
- Montana State University
- UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, San Diego State University
- National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service
- The Nature Conservancy
- National Science Foundation
- Meg and Bert Raynes Fund, Jackson, WY
- NIH INBRE
Teaching and Education
Courses: Graduate student courses developed and taught:
- University of Wyoming:Conservation Genomics: 3 sections: Graduate Seminar, “Coffee Break Cons Gen”, and Cons Gen Term Project Team. (2016-present)
- University of Wyoming: Disease Ecology (2016-present)
- University of California Davis: Ecological Genetics and Genomics: ECL242 / PHR242
- University of California Davis: Landscape Genetics with GIS (with Dr. Karen Beardsley): PHR298
- University of California Davis: Population Genetics Data Analysis and Software: ECL290 taught periodicall
- University of California Davis: Molecular Markers for Ecology, Conservation, and Wildlife Population Health: ECL290
- University of California Davis: Co-leader for Population Health Veterinary Curriculum UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Including Epidemiology, Public Health, Foreign Animal Diseases, Biostatistics, One Health, Ecosystem Health, Population Health. 2012-2014.
Student Opportunities (Graduate, Veterinary, Undergraduate) – now in Wyoming!
Graduate student research and mentorship opportunities – now in Wyoming!
- Engaging bright and motivated undergraduate, graduate, veterinary, and post-doctoral students who have scientific curiosity in the exciting and rapidly changing field of ecological genetics and wildlife population health.
- Provide a collaborative, intellectually-challenging, and nurturing atmosphere. My aim is for students to grow their appreciation and talents in the art and science of designing and conducting studies involving DNA, ecology, and population health analyses of free-ranging wildlife.
Public and University Service
- Member, Federal Wildlife Forensic Working group, NIST OSAC
- University of Wyoming Graduate Council
- University of Wyoming Program in Ecology Steering and Curriculum Committees
- Graduate Coordinator, Department of Veterinary Sciences
- University of Wyoming Wildlife and Livestock Health Center
- Associate Editor, Conservation Genetics journal since 2010
- Working with members of the public and professionals from state, federal, international, and nongovernmental agencies to advance science for wildlife conservation.
- Secretary, Wildlife Veterinary Section of the Wildlife Disease Association
- Engaging Citizen Scientists of all ages (kids to senior citizens), such as Hummingbird Health Program, members of the public of all ages learn and work with us for wildlife science and conservation.
- Advisory Board, UC Davis John Muir Center for the Environment 2011-2012
Current Projects
- Mountain lions (pumas): Landscape genomics, population connectivity, and disease ecology
- Pronghorn landscape genomics and population health
- Bighorn Sheep including inhabitants of in the desert Southwest: Landscape Genetics and population connectivity
- Hummingbird Health & Conservation Genetics, natural history, threats, disease ecology, and landscape genetics
- California sea otters: Development and application of DNA markers for individual, kinship, and disease studies
- Black Bears: Disease ecology, non-invasive population genetics
Professional Societies and Memberships
- Audubon Society
- American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
- American Ornithologists’ Union
- American Ornithological Society
- The Wildlife Society, including Western section
- Wildlife Disease Association
- Wilson Ornithological Society
Master Bird Bander Federal U.S. permit (Hummingbirds)
Contact
Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Sciences, 1074 Snowy Range Road, Laramie Wyoming, 82070
Office Phone: (307) 766-6605
Email: hernest@uwyo.edu
