astronomy

Neil Gemmell

Neil Gemmell is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Neil Gemmell rather than just read about it. In short: Neil John Gemmell , is a New Zealand geneticist. His research areas cover evolutionary genetics and genomics, molecular ecology, and conservation biology.

Key takeaways

Neil Gemmell belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Neil Gemmell to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Neil Gemmell from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Neil John Gemmell , is a New Zealand geneticist. His research areas cover evolutionary genetics and genomics, molecular ecology, and conservation biology. Originally from Lower Hutt, he obtained his PhD at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2008, Gemmell has been a professor at the University of Otago and since 2019 holds one of their seven Sesquicentennial Distinguished Chairs (Poutoko Taiea). Significant work includes the search of the Loch Ness Monster (2018) and the sequencing of the tuatara genome (published in 2020). In 2020, Gemmell received the Hutton Medal by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Early life and education Gemmell received his education at Taita College in Lower Hutt; he graduated from the school as dux in 1984. He was inspired by his science teacher, Saty Candasamy, to pursue this interest and initially aimed to study zoology. When he discovered that zoology was too popular with fellow graduates, he changed his focus to "something less popular" for better career opportunities. Gemmell went to Victoria University of Wellington, from which he graduated in biochemistry and genetics. In 1988, he went to La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, where he obtained a PhD in 1994. The title of his thesis was Population and evolutionary investigations in the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) : a molecular approach.

Professional career In 1994, Gemmell went to England for postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge (1994–1997) and the University of Leicester (1997 – February 1998). In February 1998, he took a position with the University of Canterbury, where he remained until 2008. That year, he moved to a position at the University of Otago where he has remained since. Since 2011, Gemmell has led a team that sequenced the tuatara genome. The scientific interest in the tuatara genome is high given the longevity of the species (tuatara can live for 100 years) and its low susceptibility to diseases. The findings were published in the science journal Nature in August 2020. In 2018, Gemmell was team leader for an expedition to sample environmental DNA (eDNA) at Loch Ness. The research goal was to prove the existence, or otherwise, of the Loch Ness Monster and given that the creature's existence has been debated since the 1930s, their work created much attention. The overall objective was to show the public how science works. The findings were revealed in September 2019 and the team did not find any eDNA that they did not expect (i.e. there was no evidence for a reptilian monster). There was significant DNA of eels and the research team concluded that the sightings are likely those of eels that have grown to a large size. Gemmell concluded by stating that "there may well be a Loch Ness monster, we don't know, we didn't find it." During 2020, Gemmell advocated the implementation of a wastewater monitoring system to detect ribonucleic acid (RNA) as a method to identify infections with COVID-19. Based on overseas research, Gemmell estimates that new cases may be detected two to three days faster than using standard methods. He cited the case of Arizona State University, where a wastewater sample from a residential college with 300 individuals showed positive results. When the population got tested, two asymptomatic cases were detected which may have caused an outbreak without the wastewater tests in place. The New Zealand wastewater research is led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

Awards and recognition In 2017, Gemmell was voted a fellow of the Linnean Society of London. In December 2017, he was announced as one of six New Zealand scholars who received a Fulbright Scholarship for 2018. Gemmell undertook research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on gene drive for pest control. Gemmell received awards from the Genetics Society of AustralAsia (MJD White Medal – 2018) and the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB Award for Research Excellence – 2019). In 2019, the University of Otago celebrated its 150th anniversary by creating seven Sesquicentennial Distinguished Chairs (Poutoko Taiea). These were awarded to the highest-achieving professors and Gemmell was awarded one of those positions. In November 2020, Gemmell was awarded the Hutton Medal, the oldest award bestowed by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The society's citation said the award was "for fundamentally changing our understanding of animal ecology and evolution and driving the development of new approaches for conservation and management of the world's rarest species". Gemmell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in March 2021.

Selected works

Chapters in books Gemmell has written or contributed to four chapters in books:

Neil J Gemmell; Erica V Todd; Alexander Goikoetxea; Oscar Ortega-Recalde; Timothy A Hore (30 January 2019). "Natural sex change in fish". Current Topics in Developmental Biology. 134: 71–117. doi:10.1016/BS.CTDB.2018.12.014. ISSN 0070-2153. PMID 30999982. Sterling M Sawaya; Andrew T Bagshaw; Emmanuel Buschiazzo; Neil J Gemmell (1 January 2012). "Promoter microsatellites as modulators of human gene expression". Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 769: 41–54. ISSN 0065-2598. PMID 23560304.

Journal papers The most highly cited or otherwise notable journal contributions are as follows:

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Neil Gemmell

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Neil Gemmell claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Neil Gemmell before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Neil Gemmell ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Neil Gemmell

In research: Neil Gemmell appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Neil Gemmell in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Neil Gemmell is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Academic staff of the University of Otago, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Neil Gemmell outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Neil Gemmell in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Neil Gemmell means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Neil Gemmell out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Neil Gemmell in simple terms?

Neil John Gemmell , is a New Zealand geneticist. His research areas cover evolutionary genetics and genomics, molecular ecology, and conservation biology.

Why does Neil Gemmell matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Neil Gemmell?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Neil Gemmell.