Dr Joanne Littlefair
@jlittlefair.bsky.social
UKRI Future Leaders Fellow & Lecturer at the People and Nature Lab, UCL. Researcher of biodiversity via eDNA. Secret fondness for fish and messing about on lakes. Proud mum and Londoner.
Our lab has a PhD advertised on detecting heat stress in the UK's rapidly warming freshwater habitat - it will be a blend of transcriptomics, experiments, global change and British fish species! With Cefas as CASE partners: www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/non... #fish #fisheries #eDNA #globalchange
Non-invasive assessment of heat stress in UK lakes: the effects of global change on Arctic charr populations. | TREES DLA
Lakes and reservoirs are warming rapidly globally reflecting increased air temperatures: 97% of Scottish systems experienced warming between 2015 and 2019. These ecosystems support many species of eco...
www.trees-dla.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Our lab has a PhD advertised on detecting heat stress in the UK's rapidly warming freshwater habitat - it will be a blend of transcriptomics, experiments, global change and British fish species! With Cefas as CASE partners: www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/non... #fish #fisheries #eDNA #globalchange
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
📣 WE'RE HIRING! Are you a curious problem solver interested in using your mechanical #engineering skills to advance ocean innovation and conservation? Join our collaborative R&D team designing cutting-edge #eDNA and #microplastics technologies.
Apply at oceandiagnostics.com/employment
Apply at oceandiagnostics.com/employment
September 4, 2025 at 9:53 PM
📣 WE'RE HIRING! Are you a curious problem solver interested in using your mechanical #engineering skills to advance ocean innovation and conservation? Join our collaborative R&D team designing cutting-edge #eDNA and #microplastics technologies.
Apply at oceandiagnostics.com/employment
Apply at oceandiagnostics.com/employment
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
How about some #eDNA, bird biology and a murder mystery by Steve Burrows? A book i consulted on is now out - it's got our airborne #eDNA it in (watch for the cameo...) #WomeninSTEM #AcademicSKY 🧪 here's to my true partner in crime @jlittlefair.bsky.social - our research is now a plot point 🤣
A Deceit of Lapwings
A Deceit of Lapwings : Burrows, Steve: Amazon.ca: Books
a.co
August 25, 2025 at 9:12 PM
How about some #eDNA, bird biology and a murder mystery by Steve Burrows? A book i consulted on is now out - it's got our airborne #eDNA it in (watch for the cameo...) #WomeninSTEM #AcademicSKY 🧪 here's to my true partner in crime @jlittlefair.bsky.social - our research is now a plot point 🤣
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
One of the post fascinating scientific paper that I've read in months. A pleasure to discuss with the team and to write up for the @theguardian.com
Some great press coverage of our work on a national biodiversity survey conducted with airborne #eDNA, led by @otournayre.bsky.social @profbatgirl.bsky.social. Thanks for the writeup!
A chance link via social media led to the first national survey of UK biodiversity using eDNA collected in #airpollution samplers.
My latest for @theguardian.com
Research by @ucl.ac.uk York University, Canada & the National Physical Laboratory.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
My latest for @theguardian.com
Research by @ucl.ac.uk York University, Canada & the National Physical Laboratory.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
August 11, 2025 at 9:44 AM
One of the post fascinating scientific paper that I've read in months. A pleasure to discuss with the team and to write up for the @theguardian.com
Some great press coverage of our work on a national biodiversity survey conducted with airborne #eDNA, led by @otournayre.bsky.social @profbatgirl.bsky.social. Thanks for the writeup!
A chance link via social media led to the first national survey of UK biodiversity using eDNA collected in #airpollution samplers.
My latest for @theguardian.com
Research by @ucl.ac.uk York University, Canada & the National Physical Laboratory.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
My latest for @theguardian.com
Research by @ucl.ac.uk York University, Canada & the National Physical Laboratory.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Air pollution filters help scientists produce first UK wildlife survey using eDNA
Social media post led to discovery that samplers measuring toxic particles in air can also detect fragments of DNA
www.theguardian.com
August 11, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Some great press coverage of our work on a national biodiversity survey conducted with airborne #eDNA, led by @otournayre.bsky.social @profbatgirl.bsky.social. Thanks for the writeup!
A great FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Resuseable) hosted by Miwa Takahashi of CSIRO, @lynseyrharper.bsky.social @nidunn.bsky.social last Friday. Recording great metadata for #eDNA studies, #futureproof
August 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
A great FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Resuseable) hosted by Miwa Takahashi of CSIRO, @lynseyrharper.bsky.social @nidunn.bsky.social last Friday. Recording great metadata for #eDNA studies, #futureproof
Some fun from the summer: collecting #eDNA using drones above grasslands and woodlands. A super interdisciplinary project led by UCL MRes student Kat Cutler with supervision from @peggybevan.bsky.social vimeo.com/1100687066
NB-1
Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music License code: XJEROBGLZCEKUCO0 Artist: : Benjamin Tissot
vimeo.com
July 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Some fun from the summer: collecting #eDNA using drones above grasslands and woodlands. A super interdisciplinary project led by UCL MRes student Kat Cutler with supervision from @peggybevan.bsky.social vimeo.com/1100687066
Not easy giving a talk on conflict in science, which I was invited to do as part of a GEE Department away day, but here was my attempt describing conflict, collaboration and resolution in interdisciplinary science!
July 3, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Not easy giving a talk on conflict in science, which I was invited to do as part of a GEE Department away day, but here was my attempt describing conflict, collaboration and resolution in interdisciplinary science!
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
Interested in making #eDNA data FAIR? A workshop on 25th July at UCL will cover:
- FAIR data principles, data standards, and best #eDNA data practices
- Using FAIRe tools and guidelines to format data (fair-edna.github.io)
- Q&A / discussion
Register by 4th July at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MN8ZS3Y!
- FAIR data principles, data standards, and best #eDNA data practices
- Using FAIRe tools and guidelines to format data (fair-edna.github.io)
- Q&A / discussion
Register by 4th July at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MN8ZS3Y!
FAIR eDNA data workshop in London
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
June 25, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Interested in making #eDNA data FAIR? A workshop on 25th July at UCL will cover:
- FAIR data principles, data standards, and best #eDNA data practices
- Using FAIRe tools and guidelines to format data (fair-edna.github.io)
- Q&A / discussion
Register by 4th July at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MN8ZS3Y!
- FAIR data principles, data standards, and best #eDNA data practices
- Using FAIRe tools and guidelines to format data (fair-edna.github.io)
- Q&A / discussion
Register by 4th July at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MN8ZS3Y!
Happy that everyone had a great time at the CBER retreat, featuring ECR research talks, PI career paths, great food and drink, and dastardly two truths and a lie with an ecological twist. And an eco haiku competition! @uclcber.bsky.social @ucl-pnl.bsky.social Thanks to my fellow organisers!
May 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Happy that everyone had a great time at the CBER retreat, featuring ECR research talks, PI career paths, great food and drink, and dastardly two truths and a lie with an ecological twist. And an eco haiku competition! @uclcber.bsky.social @ucl-pnl.bsky.social Thanks to my fellow organisers!
What a fabulous couple of days @royalsociety.bsky.social @ukdnawg.bsky.social, with truly brilliant presentations at the cutting edge of eDNA and omics. I leave super excited to see what will emerge next!
@jlittlefair.bsky.social kicks off session on novel and emerging methods for #terrestrial 🧬 monitoring with airborne #eDNA. Aquatic #eDNA development gave airborne #eDNA a running start. Proof-of-concepts in zoos provided evidence for also detecting UK species of importance #UKDNAWG25
May 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM
What a fabulous couple of days @royalsociety.bsky.social @ukdnawg.bsky.social, with truly brilliant presentations at the cutting edge of eDNA and omics. I leave super excited to see what will emerge next!
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
Our 2025 Bicentenary Medal winner, Dr Joanne Littlefair, has developed an exceptional research programme—the first studies to adapt molecular biodiversity monitoring by isolating DNA from the air, which will have major implications for conservation. @jlittlefair.bsky.social
www.linnean.org/the-...
www.linnean.org/the-...
April 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Our 2025 Bicentenary Medal winner, Dr Joanne Littlefair, has developed an exceptional research programme—the first studies to adapt molecular biodiversity monitoring by isolating DNA from the air, which will have major implications for conservation. @jlittlefair.bsky.social
www.linnean.org/the-...
www.linnean.org/the-...
What an honour, thank you to the Linnean Society and my nominators!
We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of our 2025 Medals and Awards. We’ll be spotlighting each of our amazing awardees from across science, conservation and the arts over the coming days. www.linnean.org/news...
Please like, share and join us in congratulating them all!
Please like, share and join us in congratulating them all!
April 9, 2025 at 8:43 AM
What an honour, thank you to the Linnean Society and my nominators!
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
Are you a policy maker or end-user, interested to know more about #eDNA based methods for monitoring of #biodiversity, #pathogens or in #forensics? If so, check out this policy explainer published today by the @royalsociety.org royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
Bluesky
ey.bsky.social
March 11, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Are you a policy maker or end-user, interested to know more about #eDNA based methods for monitoring of #biodiversity, #pathogens or in #forensics? If so, check out this policy explainer published today by the @royalsociety.org royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
We are hiring for a 30 month research technician position on my Future Leaders Fellowship award! This would suit an organised and proactive person with experience in environmental genetics analysis looking to join a friendly and expanding #eDNA and #biodiversity group at the new UCL East campus
March 11, 2025 at 5:25 PM
We are hiring for a 30 month research technician position on my Future Leaders Fellowship award! This would suit an organised and proactive person with experience in environmental genetics analysis looking to join a friendly and expanding #eDNA and #biodiversity group at the new UCL East campus
Last few days to apply for this 39month molecular ecology #eDNA postdoc position, deadline 12 March
A new opportunity to work with our expanding #eDNA and #biodiversity lab as a postdoc looking at human impacts across space and time with terrestrial airborne eDNA. UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship funded opportunity based at the @ucl-pnl.bsky.social: www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
March 7, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Last few days to apply for this 39month molecular ecology #eDNA postdoc position, deadline 12 March
Featuring the lab's research on #eDNA and #biodiversityloss at @ucl-pnl.bsky.social in the full video version!
Discover how our researchers are creating real-world impact, developing innovative solutions to tackle humanity's most pressing challenges.
Watch the full video here: shorturl.at/mYLQV
Watch the full video here: shorturl.at/mYLQV
March 5, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Featuring the lab's research on #eDNA and #biodiversityloss at @ucl-pnl.bsky.social in the full video version!
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
We are delighted to announce that the 11th #ukdnawg conference will be hosted by the @royalsociety.org London on 13-14th May 2025.
For more information, and to register, follow the links from ukeof.org.uk/our-work/ukdna
🧬 #eDNA #biodiversity
For more information, and to register, follow the links from ukeof.org.uk/our-work/ukdna
🧬 #eDNA #biodiversity
UK DNA Working Group | UKEOF
ukeof.org.uk
February 13, 2025 at 10:46 AM
We are delighted to announce that the 11th #ukdnawg conference will be hosted by the @royalsociety.org London on 13-14th May 2025.
For more information, and to register, follow the links from ukeof.org.uk/our-work/ukdna
🧬 #eDNA #biodiversity
For more information, and to register, follow the links from ukeof.org.uk/our-work/ukdna
🧬 #eDNA #biodiversity
UKDNA Working Group now has a bsky account! 👋 please give them a follow #eDNA community
The UK DNA Working Group aims to:
1) Link researchers, developers of DNA-based monitoring methods, and end users to ensure that activities are focussed on meeting priority information needs and that knowledge is transferred effectively within the wider community...
1) Link researchers, developers of DNA-based monitoring methods, and end users to ensure that activities are focussed on meeting priority information needs and that knowledge is transferred effectively within the wider community...
February 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM
UKDNA Working Group now has a bsky account! 👋 please give them a follow #eDNA community
Presenting our vision and research for airborne #eDNA sampling assets as part of @ukri.org NERC/Defra Innovation in Environmental Monitoring grant programme, with collaborators @naturalengland.bsky.social and National Physical Laboratory
February 12, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Presenting our vision and research for airborne #eDNA sampling assets as part of @ukri.org NERC/Defra Innovation in Environmental Monitoring grant programme, with collaborators @naturalengland.bsky.social and National Physical Laboratory
A new opportunity to work with our expanding #eDNA and #biodiversity lab as a postdoc looking at human impacts across space and time with terrestrial airborne eDNA. UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship funded opportunity based at the @ucl-pnl.bsky.social: www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
February 12, 2025 at 12:58 PM
A new opportunity to work with our expanding #eDNA and #biodiversity lab as a postdoc looking at human impacts across space and time with terrestrial airborne eDNA. UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship funded opportunity based at the @ucl-pnl.bsky.social: www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
A write-up of our research and training internship funded by The Fishmongers' Company for Tianna Hewitson where she developed genetic tools to detect Arctic charr, a native UK salmonid vulnerable to climate change. fishmongers.org.uk/new-survey-m...
New survey method reveals Britain’s most vulnerable salmonid in two previously unverified locations in Scotland - The Fishmongers' Company
Freshwater Arctic charr are restricted to cold water lakes and rivers of the northern hemisphere, including in Scotland, and are considered to be the UK’s
fishmongers.org.uk
February 12, 2025 at 12:37 PM
A write-up of our research and training internship funded by The Fishmongers' Company for Tianna Hewitson where she developed genetic tools to detect Arctic charr, a native UK salmonid vulnerable to climate change. fishmongers.org.uk/new-survey-m...
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
I started an #eDNA starter pack as one didn’t exist yet. Feel free to message me to get your name added. Open to all! go.bsky.app/U2vgV5Q
November 17, 2024 at 7:23 AM
I started an #eDNA starter pack as one didn’t exist yet. Feel free to message me to get your name added. Open to all! go.bsky.app/U2vgV5Q
Reposted by Dr Joanne Littlefair
The Rutgers eDNA lab developed a novel method to collect #eDNA from tree surfaces that we call the 'roller method'. A game-changer for monitoring terrestrial forest biodiversity (insects, vertebrates). Here is a short methods video if you want to try it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2306...
Terrestrial Environmental DNA (eDNA) Sampling Method: Roller Aggregation
YouTube video by Rutgers eDNA Lab
www.youtube.com
January 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
The Rutgers eDNA lab developed a novel method to collect #eDNA from tree surfaces that we call the 'roller method'. A game-changer for monitoring terrestrial forest biodiversity (insects, vertebrates). Here is a short methods video if you want to try it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2306...
The latest from my collaboration with the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, our preprint on the rank based abundance of fish and #eDNA, showing that we consistently distinguish between areas where fish are rare, moderate and abundant www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A strong relationship between environmental DNA metabarcoding and rank-based abundance of fish
1. Increasingly, molecular methods of species monitoring are integrated into freshwater biodiversity surveys and fisheries management. Inferring organism abundance or biomass from sequence counts deri...
www.biorxiv.org
January 27, 2025 at 9:42 AM
The latest from my collaboration with the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, our preprint on the rank based abundance of fish and #eDNA, showing that we consistently distinguish between areas where fish are rare, moderate and abundant www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...