Alexander Salis
@alexander-salis.bsky.social
New Zealander in the USA. Postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History. Ancient and historical DNA. he/him 🏳️🌈
Pinned
Unrecognised DNA Degradation in Flash‐Frozen Genetic Samples in Natural History Collections
Optimal preservation of tissues from the field to long-term cryo-storage is paramount to securing genetic resources for research needs. DNA preservation techniques vary, with flash freezing currently...
doi.org
Flash-frozen tissues are considered the gold standard for DNA—but our analysis of field-collected samples found surprising degradation.
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
Reposted by Alexander Salis
Turns out #hippos 🦛 lived in Europe much more recently than we thought!
Fossil & genetic evidence from Germany shows they roamed 50,000–31,000 years ago, right in the middle of the last #iceage 🥶🌨️
Same species as today’s African hippos, thriving during warmer periods.
🦣🧪🧬
Fossil & genetic evidence from Germany shows they roamed 50,000–31,000 years ago, right in the middle of the last #iceage 🥶🌨️
Same species as today’s African hippos, thriving during warmer periods.
🦣🧪🧬
Ancient DNA and dating evidence for the dispersal of hippos into central Europe during the last glacial
Arnold et al. present evidence that Late Pleistocene hippos from the Upper Rhine Graben
show close genetic ties to modern African hippos. Although hippos have been thought
to have gone extinct around ...
www.cell.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by Alexander Salis
☠️🧬 2-yr Postdoc in in Genomic Simulations and Extinction Risk Modelling!
Let's figure out the Genomic signs of Extinction @DTU in Denmark.
Start: Feb 2026 (flexible)
Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025
For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPD
Reposts appreciated 😁
Let's figure out the Genomic signs of Extinction @DTU in Denmark.
Start: Feb 2026 (flexible)
Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025
For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPD
Reposts appreciated 😁
September 12, 2025 at 11:52 AM
☠️🧬 2-yr Postdoc in in Genomic Simulations and Extinction Risk Modelling!
Let's figure out the Genomic signs of Extinction @DTU in Denmark.
Start: Feb 2026 (flexible)
Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025
For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPD
Reposts appreciated 😁
Let's figure out the Genomic signs of Extinction @DTU in Denmark.
Start: Feb 2026 (flexible)
Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025
For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPD
Reposts appreciated 😁
Flash-frozen tissues are considered the gold standard for DNA—but our analysis of field-collected samples found surprising degradation.
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
Unrecognised DNA Degradation in Flash‐Frozen Genetic Samples in Natural History Collections
Optimal preservation of tissues from the field to long-term cryo-storage is paramount to securing genetic resources for research needs. DNA preservation techniques vary, with flash freezing currently...
doi.org
September 9, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Flash-frozen tissues are considered the gold standard for DNA—but our analysis of field-collected samples found surprising degradation.
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
Preserving in buffer before freezing may be more robust in real-world conditions.
👉 doi.org/10.1111/1755...
#Museomics #Genomics #Fieldwork #DNApreservation
A bit late on this, but the latest research from my PhD on the genetic diversity, phylogeography, and sexual dimorphism of North American giant short-faced bears was just published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society this month. academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...
Genetic diversity, phylogeography, and sexual dimorphism in the extinct giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus)
Abstract. Giant short-faced bears (Arctodus simus) were the largest carnivoran of Pleistocene North America and are one of the most extensively studied ext
academic.oup.com
February 28, 2025 at 7:02 PM
A bit late on this, but the latest research from my PhD on the genetic diversity, phylogeography, and sexual dimorphism of North American giant short-faced bears was just published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society this month. academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...
Reposted by Alexander Salis
Giant short-faced bears were the largest carnivores of the Pleistocene in North America and are subsequently well known in science. Highly studied, small & large forms have been recognised as subspecies, but some researchers have suggested this may be sexual dimorphism! A 🧵(1/3) 🌍🧪🐻
February 14, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Giant short-faced bears were the largest carnivores of the Pleistocene in North America and are subsequently well known in science. Highly studied, small & large forms have been recognised as subspecies, but some researchers have suggested this may be sexual dimorphism! A 🧵(1/3) 🌍🧪🐻