Into the unknown: portable sequencing empowers global conservation genomics

Abstract
Conservation genomics has long operated within a colonial framework of resource extraction: biologists collect specimens from habitats and transport them elsewhere for analysis. Sample collection often occurs in resource-poor but biodiverse regions, with analysis restricted to resource-rich urban areas. This process not only removes samples but also opportunities for local involvement in downstream analyses. Recent upheavals include a global recognition of the colonial legacy in extractive science and the advent of affordable, accurate sequencing technologies. Nanopore sequencing supports the In Situ Laboratory Initiative (ISL), promoting decentralized, community-run One Health labs that generate research outputs locally — from DNA barcodes to reference genomes. This approach allows research to be conducted without samples leaving their country or region of origin, challenging the traditional model of extractive conservation genomics and fostering a more inclusive, equitable approach to biodiversity research.

Biography

Mrinalini Watsa is a research scientist with the Conservation Science Team at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Her primary focus is applying low-cost field genomics tools, like nanopore sequencing, in tropical field labs to enhance biodiversity and disease surveillance. She is also developing affordable conservation tech, such as animal-mounted collars and microchip-based sensors, for wildlife monitoring. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Grinnell College in Iowa and her doctorate in biological anthropology from Washington University in Saint Louis.