Dr Kate Ciborowski

Dr Ciborowski has now left ZSL.

Curriculum Vitae:

• 2007-2013: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Institute of Zoology.
• 2003-2007: NERC PhD studentship, Institute of Zoology & University of Reading.
• 2002-2003: PGCE, Cambridge University.
• 1999-2002: BA Hons Natural Sciences (Part II Genetics), Cambridge University.
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Research Interests:

My research interests include the changes to population genetic structure, particularly during the decline of populations. An important facet of conservation biology is an understanding of population genetic diversity and structure, and its maintenance should be a consideration in management policies.

My PhD thesis is entitled "Patterns of genetic variability during the decline of Iberian Atlantic salmon populations". Atlantic salmon are in global decline. Atlantic salmon populations in Spain are at the species southern limit and have been in decline mainly due to anthropogenic activities since the latter half of the 20th century. Historic scale collections from the late 1940s and contemporary tissue collections exist for four Spanish rivers. Using this genetic material, long-term temporal and spatial analyses of patterns of genetic variability using mitochondrial, neutral nuclear microsatellite and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) linked loci will be conducted.

The overall aims of this project are to use the data collected to understand which forces are important in maintaining genetic variability at different types of molecular marker and use this information to incorporate genetic diversity considerations into management strategies for these (and other) Atlantic salmon populations.

In addition to my PhD, I am also involved in the joint English Nature/RSPB/ZSL corncrake restoration programme; using neutral genetic markers to look for evidence of inbreeding depression in captive-bred individuals.
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Conference Presentations:

• Poster presentation at “The Quaternary Legacy” – Phylogeography and Climatic Changes in Southern Europe; Lisbon, Portugal, October 2004.
• Poster presentation at PopGroup; Reading, UK, December 2004.
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Supervisors:

Dr William Jordan (Institute of Zoology), Dr Sofia Consuegra del Olmo (St Andrews), Dr Carlos García de Leaníz (University of Wales, Swansea), Dr Jinliang Wang (Institute of Zoology), Dr Mark Beaumont (University of Reading)
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Publications:

Ciborowski, K.L., Consuegra, S., Garcia de Leaniz, C., Wang, J., Beaumont, M. and Jordan, W.C. (2007) Stocking may increase mitochondrial DNA diversity but fails to halt the decline of endangered Atlantic salmon populations. Conservation Genetics 8: 1355-1367. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-007-9286-2

Ciborowski, K.L., Consuegra, S., Garcia de Leaniz, C., Beaumont, M., Wang, J. and Jordan, W.C. (2007) Rare and fleeting: an example of interspecific recombination in animal mitochondrial DNA. Biology Letters 3: 554-557. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0290