Anita Norman

Anita specializes in population genetics/genomics in mammalian species. Through DNA sequencing, she identifies genomic markers called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that are useful in identifying individuals within a population. These are applied to non-invasive samples such as faeces where individual identification is necessary. Studying the SNP markers allows Anita to conduct population size estimates, look at how individuals in the population are related to each other and thus identify population patterns such as reproductive success, inbreeding events and levels, mating and dispersal behaviours, etc. Her work also includes landscape scale studies where she can identify how populations are genetically structured in space providing, among other things, insight into possible barriers to gene flow. Results of her work can inform conservation measures to maintain population health. Anita is also currently working with genomics to determine levels of biodiversity within ecosystems.