Hagerman Genetics Laboratory
In the 1990’s CRITFC began contracting with the University of Idaho to conduct genetics
work. CRITFC’s genetics program began in 1999 after the tribes began seeing the
role of genetics in fisheries research and management increase. It was in 1999 that
CRITFC and the University of Idaho entered into an agreement that established a
working relationship and collaborative research program for the research and training
in production, supplementation, life history and recovery of salmon, steelhead and
native fishes of the Columbia Basin. Also out of this partnership was born a state
of the art genetics lab built with funds from the University of Idaho and CRITFC.
The Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station is a 13,000 square foot facility that
houses six analytical laboratories to explore pathology and the genetics of fish,
a 5,500 square foot wet lab to study fish diet and production, and a tissue archive
to store fish samples from around the Pacific Northwest for future DNA testing.
The facility was dedicated on September 14, 2006 and took two and a half years to
build.
The Hagerman Genetics Laboratory performs a host of research and studies. Below
are some of the projects that the lab is currently involved in:
Introduction to Genetics Analyses in Tribal Fisheries Management Training Workshops
CRITFC geneticists at Hagerman are actively involved in genetics studies of different programs operated and/or monitored by CRITFC and the four treaty tribes. To provide a better understanding of the laboratory techniques involved in these analyses and the inferences that can be made from the results relative to fisheries management issues, CRITFC has organized a series of 2-day training workshops for the tribal biologists and technicians responsible for collection of the tissue samples as part of these studies. Each workshop is attended by up to 8 biologists/technicians, and involves a series of presentations (“lectures”, videos, demonstrations and discussions) on basic principles of genetics and inheritance, types of molecular markers and analyses using these markers applicable to fisheries management - with an emphasis on use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA markers for genetic stock identification and parentage analysis - and brief presentations summarizing results from previous and ongoing studies conducted by CRITFC staff. The presentations are interspersed with several “hands-on” exercises to provide greater familiarity with the laboratory techniques involved. Copies of the workshop schedule and of the presentations are available at the links below:
Hagerman Genetics Laboratory staff list
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