GINA CONTE

Evolutionary genomics of climate adaptation

Gina is a Post-doctoral Researcher in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC.  She is working on bioinformatics and analysis of population genomic data for the AdapTree project. Her previous work focused on the genetic basis of adaptation and speciation in natural populations, and in particular, the repeatability of the genetics underlying parallel and convergent evolution.

With AdapTree, she is using genomic data collected from widespread lodgepole pine and interior spruce populations to learn about the evolutionary processes contributing to climate adaptation via studying the signatures these processes leave behind in the genome.  This knowledge will contribute to our understanding of evolutionary genetics in natural populations and will help guide management of these important natural resources, with adaptation to future climates in mind.