Dr Mike Bunce ARC Future Fellow Phone: 9360 7649 Email: m.bunce@murdoch.edu.au Room: SC 2.052

Ancient DNA, forensics, past biodiversity and molecular evolution

Dr Mike Bunce is an ARC Future Fellow and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology.

He is an expert in the retrieval and characterisation of DNA from a variety of ‘old’ substrates including bone, ice cores, sediments, hair and eggshell.
His research expertise is used in a variety of fields including forensics, conservation biology, paleontology and archaeology.

Research

Dr Mike Bunce's research interests revolve around using ancient DNA to study evolutionary processes and using ancient DNA profiles to investigate past biodiversity. I have worked on a diverse variety of projects with the common theme of extracting and amplifying degraded DNA, these include studies of New Zealand’s extinct birds and obtaining DNA profiles from ice/sediment cores.

The research in this lab is focused around using ancient DNA as a tool to profile past biodiversity and extinction events. Conservation and restoration of biodiversity is best achieved if we understand the past composition and function of the ecosystems we are trying to restore.

Publications

For a full list of  Dr Bunce's publications, please visit the Murdoch University ancient DNA research laboratory website.