Rate My Professor Alana Alexander

Dr Alana Alexander, of Te Hikutu (Ngāpuhi) descent, serves as Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, at the University of Otago. She completed her BSc in Biology and BSc (Hons) at the University of Auckland in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and earned her PhD from Oregon State University in 2014, with a thesis examining genetic diversity in sperm whales. Following her doctorate, Alexander conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Kansas from 2014 to 2017. She joined the University of Otago in 2017 as a postdoctoral researcher, receiving a Rutherford Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2019, and advanced to her current roles supported by a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship awarded in 2021.

Alexander's research expertise lies in molecular ecology, evolutionary biology, population genomics, and phylogenomics, focusing on conservation applications for marine mammals including whales and dolphins. Utilizing bioinformatics and genomic analyses combined with ecological and biogeographic data, she elucidates historical demographic events and predicts future threats such as fisheries impacts, disease susceptibility like toxoplasmosis, and climate change effects on taonga species. Notable projects encompass the development of 'science pūrākau' for translating genomics into Māori narratives, Ruatau for empowering Māori genomic scientists, and regional studies on sperm whales. Her key publications include "What influences the worldwide genetic structure of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)?" (Molecular Ecology, 2016), "The admixed brushtail possum genome reveals invasion history in New Zealand and novel imprinted genes" (Nature Communications, 2023), and "Leveraging synteny to generate reference genomes for conservation: Assembling the genomes of Hector’s and Māui dolphins" (2024). Among her honors are the International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, University of Otago Kaupapa Māori Award, and the Māori Early Career Award for distinction in research. Alexander also serves as Senior Editor for Molecular Ecology Resources starting in 2026 and engages in public wānanga and committee roles advancing Indigenous leadership in molecular ecology.