Rowena F. Stern
Molecular Plankton Taxonomist

Role:

I am investigating the molecular ecology of protistan communities using CPR data samples. I am using molecular genetic techniques including DNA barcoding to identify unknown or challenging planktonic species. Using archived CPR samples, I aim to investigate longer term drivers of species distributions and population dynamics of algae populations.

Background, qualifications and professional membership:

PhD Molecular Parasitology: Characterising a small gene family in bovine parasite Theileria annulata

Postdoctoral positions:

2003-2005: Genetic investigation of candidate genes for congenital blindness

2005: Evolutionary and functional characterisation of limb and brain developmental genes

2006-2009: Applying DNA barcoding to evaluate the biodiversity of protistan species using DNA barcoding. Mostly focusing on Dinoflagellates, but also Cryptophytes, Haptophytes, Chlorarachniophytes and Ectocarpus sp.

Research Interests:

Protist diversity and evolution and biogeography

Publications:

Gile, G.G.*, Stern, R.F.*, James, E.R., Keeling, P.J. (2010) DNA barcoding of Chlorarachniophytes using nucleomorph ITS sequences. J. Phyc. 46. (advanced publication)

Stern R.F., Keeling P. et al.  (2010). Environmental barcoding reveals massive dinoflagellate diversity in marine environments. In submission

Stern R.F. and Woods C.G. (2006). News and Commentaries: Is brain evolution still continuing in modern humans? EJHG, 14, 799-800.

C. G. Woods, S. Stricker, P. Seemann, R. Stern, et al. (2006) Mutations in WNT7A Cause a Range of Limb Malformations, Including Fuhrmann Syndrome and Al-Awadi/Raas-Rothschild/Schinzel Phocomelia Syndrome. AJHG, 79 (2), 402-408.

Stern R.F. et al. (2004). Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification using a completely synthetic probe set: successful detection of chromosome 3 long arm deletions in patients with anophthalmia/ microphthalmia. Biotechniques, 37, 399-405.

Deguara J., Bernand, K.G., Berg, J., Green, P., Lewis, C.M., Chinien, G., Waltham, M., Taylor, P., Stern, R.F., Solomon E., Smith, A. (2007). An increased frequency of the 5A allele in the promoter region of the MMP3 gene is associated with abdominal aortic aneurisms. Hum. Mol. Genet., 16 (24), 3002-3007. Corrigendum: Hum. Mol. Genet., (2009), 18, 4688.

Swan D.G., Stern R., et al. (2001). Characterisation of a cluster of genes encoding Theileria annulata AT hook DNA-binding proteins and evidence for localisation to the host cell nucleus. J. Cell Sci., 114 (15), 2747-2754.

Roles on external bodies / national / international responsibilities:

Links: