Dr Lucy Webster

Senior Wildlife Forensic Scientist Telephone Number +44(0)131 244 8929 Email Address wildlifeforensics@sasa.gov.scot

 Research interests/Areas of expertise

• The application of genetic data to wildlife forensics, management and conservation.
• Development of molecular tools for DNA barcoding, population genetics and transcriptomics.

Biography

• Deputy Director and lecturer on the “Applied Conservation Genetics with Wildlife Forensics” online masters programme at the University of Edinburgh
• Chair of the Society for Wildlife Forensic Sciences Technical Working Group since 2016 
• Chair of the Partnership for Action against Wildlife crime (PAW) Forensic working group since 2016, member since 2011
• Former chair of the PAW Scotland science group 2013-18
• Joined SASA in January 2011 as senior molecular biologist working on wildlife DNA forensics. Role includes regular casework for wildlife crime investigations and research projects to develop new tools for wildlife DNA forensics.
• PDRA position with the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland on a project to use population genetic information to inform wild Atlantic salmon management (2009-2010).
• PDRA at the University of Aberdeen investigating transcriptomic responses of red grouse to their nematode parasites, Trichostrongylus tenuis (2006-2008).
• PhD at the University of Glasgow examining population genetic structure and evidence for drug resistance in T. tenuis parasites of wild red grouse across the UK (2001-2005).
• Research assistant at the Natural History Museum in London working on the molecular systematics of mites from the species complex Acarus siro (2001).