Rate My Professor Tom Oosting

Tom Oosting, dr., serves as Assistant Professor in Ecological Genomics at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, leading the Oosting lab within the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES). His research expertise encompasses ecological genomics, population genomics, marine biology, evolutionary biology, and fisheries science, with a primary focus on the genetics and genomics of cetaceans. Oosting investigates population structure, evolutionary dynamics, genetic diversity, and environmental impacts on marine species, including baleen whales and albatrosses. He contributes to understanding how genomic tools can inform fisheries management and conservation efforts, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Life Below Water).

Oosting has co-authored numerous impactful publications. Key works include the genome assembly of Antipodean and Gibson's albatrosses (Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis and D. a. gibsoni) in the Journal of Heredity (2026), a baleen whale microsatellite panel for individual identification and parentage assignment in Mysticeti, published in Global Ecology and Conservation (2024), and 'Strong and lasting impacts of past global warming on baleen whales and their prey' in Global Change Biology (2022), which garnered press coverage on marine population responses to climate change. Additional significant contributions are 'A genetic perspective on cetacean evolution' in the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics (2021), 'Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) mitogenomics: A cautionary tale of defining sub-species from mitochondrial sequence monophyly' in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2019), 'Long-term isolation at a low effective population size greatly reduced genetic diversity in Gulf of California fin whales' in Scientific Reports (2019), and studies on whale hybrids and demographic bottlenecks in North Atlantic blue whales. His collaborative research involves international teams and emphasizes methodological advancements in genomic analysis, data curation, and evolutionary modeling. Oosting has presented seminars on integrating genomics into fisheries management and maintains an active Scopus profile with ORCID 0000-0002-7031-0747.