Holly Ernest, DVM, PhD
Wildlife Genetics, Genomics, and Population Health
Laboratory director and senior investigator:
Wildlife and Ecology Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, UC Davis
Associate Professor in Residence in
Wildlife genetics, genomics, and population health
Dept. of Population Health and Reproduction
Dedicated to:
• Research to develop and apply latest technology in DNA science and disease ecology toward health and understanding of wild animal populations
• Educating the next generation of genomic scientists, applied ecologists, and wildlife veterinarians
• Providing wildlife population health service and information
Curriculum Vitae (detailed) pdf
Education
- Ph.D. Ecology, with emphasis on Wildlife Genetics: University of California, Davis.
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Cum Laude, Ohio State University.
- M.S., Ohio State University, Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology.
- B.Sc., Cornell University, Biology (Animal Science and Biology).
Research
Interdisciplinary applied and basic research in genetics, genomics, biology, and disease ecology for wildlife conservation and population health.
- Free-ranging species of conservation & management concern
- Threatened and endangered species
Special interests in genetics and genomics: Population Genetics; Molecular DNA to reconstruct predigrees (family trees) to reveal ecological relationships among individuals, kin groups, populations and disease distributions; Discovery of associations among genetic mechanisms, genetic diversity and evolutionary history and phenotypic diversity (phenotype is the composite of an organism's observable characteristics or traits).
Special interest species: Hummingbirds, Yellow-billed Magpie, Swainson's Hawk, Great Gray Owl, Mountain Lion, Sea Otter, Black Bear, Feral Hog in California (wild pig, wild boar).
Special interest diseases: Avian pox virus, West Nile virus, wildlife leptospirosis, and others
Special interest regions: California, Mexico, Chile; South/Central America; global interestsSee Research pages and Featured Research
Teaching and Education
Courses: Graduate student courses developed and taught:
Ecological Genetics and Genomics: ECL242 / PHR242
Landscape Genetics with GIS (with Dr. Karen Beardsley): PHR298 (soon to be ECL2XX)
Population Genetics Data Analysis and Software: ECL290 taught periodicall
Molecular Markers for Ecology, Conservation, and Wildlife Population Health: ECL290 taught periodicallCo-leader for Population Health Veterinary Curriculum UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Including Epidemiology, Public Health, Foreign Animal Diseases, Biostatistics, One Health, Ecosystem Health, Population Health
- Engaging bright and motivated undergraduate, graduate, veterinary, and post-doctoral students who have scientific curiosity in the exciting and rapidly changing field of ecological genetics and wildlife population health.
- Provide a collaborative, intellectually-challenging, and nurturing atmosphere. My aim is for students to grow their appreciation and talents in the art and science of designing and conducting studies involving DNA, ecology, and population health analyses of free-ranging wildlife.
Public and University Service
- Associate Editor, Conservation Genetics journal
- Working with members of the public and professionals from state, federal, international, and nongovernmental agencies to advance science for wildlife conservation.
- Engaging Citizen Scientists of all ages (kids to senior citizens), such as Hummingbird Health Program, to learn and work with us for wildlife science and conservation.
- Advisory Board, John Muir Center for the Environment 2011-2012
Current Projects
- Bighorn Sheep in Arizona and California: Landscape Genetics and population connnectivity
- Hummingbird Health & Conservation Genetics, natural history, threats, disease ecology, and landscape genetics
- Domestic (pet) Ferret:genetics for cancer research
- California sea otters: Development and application of DNA markers for individual, kinship, and disease studies
- Mountain lions (pumas) in California: Landscape Genetics and population connectivity
- Black Bears in California: Disease ecology, non-invasive population genetics
- Yellow-Billed Magpie: Ecology and species genetics
- Feral Pigs in California: Population genetics to assist management and control
UC Davis affiliations
Department
Population Health and Reproduction (School of Veterinary Medicine)Main Center/Lab affiliation
Veterinary Genetics LaboratoryGraduate Groups
Animal Biology, Avian Sciences, Ecology, Epidemiology, Forensic Science, Genetics; and Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM)UC Davis Centers (affiliate faculty membership)
John Muir Center for the Environment
Institute for One Health / Wildlife Health Center
Professional Societies and Memberships
- Audubon Society
- American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
- American Ornithologists' Union
- Cooper Ornithological Society
- Ecological Society of America
- The Wildlife Society, including Western section
- Wildlife Disease Association (Committee service: Student Awards Committee)
- Wilson Ornithological Society
Licensed California veterinarian
Master Bird Bander Federal U.S. permit (Hummingbirds)
Banding Hummingbird at McLaughlin Nature Reserve near Clear Lake, CA
Investigating botulsim outbreak in bighorn sheep, Mojave desert, California
Address
258 CCAH, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616
Office Phone: (530) 754-8245
Lab Phone: (530) 752-5727
Email: hbernest (at) ucdavis.edu