GCL News & Impact
Anthropocene genetic diversity loss in the marine tropics
Researchers at TAMUCC, in collaboration with researchers at UC Santa Cruz, Old Dominion, UP Mindanao, Silliman University, and others, recently published a paper comparing genetic diversity of modern-day fishes and museum specimens. Library preparation was carried out at the GCL.
Read the research articleResearch by TAMUCC scientists mentioned in Science
Researchers from TAMUCC, Old Dominion, Rutgers, and UC Santa Cruz, in collaboration with Filipino researchers from Silliman University, study change in genetic diversity between fishes collected on the research vessel the USS Albatross in 1908 and modern-day fishes collected from fish markets. This research was recently featured in Science News.
Read more in the news article by ScienceTAMUCC GCL Researchers Visit the Smithsonian to X-Ray Fish Collected in 1908
GCL researchers Kevin Labrador, Dr. Bird, and Dr. Selwyn visited the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. to x-ray Filipino fishes.
Read more about the Smithsonian tripSampling Begins for Undergraduate Research Project
The GCL has assembled a crew of promising undergraduate researchers. These undergrads have developed an experiment to test eDNA preservation techniques. They are beginning by collecting (water) eDNA samples around Corpus Christi. They've collected from three sites so far, with five more to go. Sampling will be followed by DNA extractions and then quantification to test which preservation technique yielded the most DNA.
GCL Awards Certificates of Mastery
The GCL recently awarded 54 certificates of mastery to their undergraduate researchers and volunteers from the 24-25 academic year. Certificates were awarded to those that showed competency in various laboratory skills. Congratulations everyone!
Genomics Core Lab Impact
The Genomics Core Lab supports researchers at TAMUCC and beyond.
Click to see full-size images7/8/25 Marine Genetics & Genomics in the Philippines Workshop
In collaboration with the Global Change Research Group at UC Santa Cruz, the Carpenter Lab at Old Dominion University, and the Palomar-Abesamis Lab at Silliman University, the TAMUCC GCL and BEACON Lab hosted a symposium and workshop on present state and future of Marine Genetics & Genomic Research in the Philippines. There were 40 participants from University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), University of San Carlos, UP Cebu, UP Institute of Biology, Silliman University, Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi, De Le Salle University (DLSU), DLSU-SHORE, DLSU Practical Genomics Laboratory, UP Los Baños, UP Mindanao, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, Old Dominion University, and University of California (UC) Santa Cruz including university faculty, students, and governmental professionals.
7/10 - 7/12/25 GCL members present at PAMS18 in the Philippines
GCL director Dr. Chris Bird and PhD candidate Kevin Labrador present their research at The Philippine Association of Marine Science's 18th National Symposium on Marine Science (PAMS18).
4/25/2025 GCL and BEACON lab members presented their research at SSIRCA
GCL-supported lab members (Avery, Coralynn, Joseph, and Kevin) and BEACON lab members (Keenan and Alex) presented their research at the Symposium for Student Innovation, Research, and Creative Activities (SSIRCA).
3/13/2025 GCL presents at the Mariana Islands Conservation Conference
Members of the Genomics Core Lab presented their research on eDNA and the Rota Blue Damselfly (Dulalas luta) (Ischnura luta). Presenters included Sharon Magnuson, GCL lab manager; Kevin Labrador, graduate research assistant; Coralynn Coapland, undergraduate researcher and LSAMP scholar; and Avery Richardson, undergraduate researcher and LSAMP scholar.
Read MoreGenomic divergence and limited dispersal of blue coral, Heliopora lineages, across the western Philippine coast revealed by microsatellite and SNP markers
"Samples passing quality and concentration requirements (N = 179) were forwarded for RAD library preparation and sequencing at the Genomics Core Laboratory at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi," (Casilagan et al., 2025).
Read More2/21/2025 Islander STEM Showcase
Undergraduate researcher and LSAMP scholar, Coralynn Coapland, presented her research on the Rota Blue Damselfly (Ischnura aurora). The GCL also had a table at the event.
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