Damian M Menning, Ph.D.
Damian Menning is a Research Geneticist at the USGS Alaska Science Center.
Damian has a multi-disciplinary background combining molecular ecology, stable isotopes, geochemistry, and hydrology. As a Research Geneticist in the Molecular Ecology Laboratory at the Alaska Science Center he has worked on numerous diverse projects to include microsatellites, conversion of microsatellites to Next Generation Sequencing, transcriptomes, and mitogenomes. His primary area of expertise is the utilization of environmental DNA (eDNA) and its associated techniques to answer a diverse array of scientific questions such as identifying pathogens, invasive species, diet, community structure, and microbiomes of multiple species. Within this skill set he excels at the design, development, and validation of multispecies metabarcoding markers which he produces using custom Python and Biopython scripts. He is always open to collaboration during all steps of a scientific study from initial idea to sampling strategy to data analysis and everything in between.
Professional Experience
2021 - Present Research Geneticist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2015 - 2021 Geneticist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2014 University of South Florida, Tampa FL Cell and Molecular Biology
B.S. 2006 Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston TX Marine Biology
Science and Products
Detection of the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii Using Environmental DNA (eDNA), Alaska
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Diet and Gut Microbiota Data, 2015-2019
Gavia Species Identification and Diet Composition from Feces, Central North Slope, Alaska, 2012-2014
Detection of Multiple Fish Species Using Environmental DNA (eDNA), Alaska 2018
Detection of Seagrass Pathogens using Environmental DNA (eDNA), North Pacific, 2016-Present
Shrew (Sorex sp.) Gut Contents Identified by DNA Metabarcoding, North America, 1968-2016
Genetic Data from Arctic, Polar, and Saffron Cod and Walleye Pollock, Alaska and Canada, 2011-2017
Environmental DNA as a tool for better understanding the distribution, abundance, and health of Atlantic and Pacific salmon
Ocean current patterns drive the worldwide colonization of eelgrass (Zostera marina)
eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska
Fecal DNA metabarcoding shows credible short-term prey detections and explains variation in the gut microbiome of two polar bear subpopulations
Using next generation sequencing of alpine plants to improve fecal metabarcoding diet analysis for Dall’s sheep
Abundance of a recently discovered Alaskan rhodolith bed in a shallow, seagrass-dominated lagoon
Metabarcoding of environmental samples suggest wide distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) pathogens in the north Pacific
Microbiomes from biorepositories? 16S rRNA bacterial amplicon sequencing of archived and contemporary intestinal samples of wild mammals (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)
Environmental DNA: An emerging tool for understanding aquatic biodiversity
Are migratory waterfowl vectors of seagrass pathogens?
Using redundant primer sets to detect multiple native Alaskan fish species from environmental DNA
Micro-geographic population genetic structure within Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) in Beaufort Sea of Alaska
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Python Scripts for Bioinformatics, 2017
Science and Products
Detection of the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii Using Environmental DNA (eDNA), Alaska
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Diet and Gut Microbiota Data, 2015-2019
Gavia Species Identification and Diet Composition from Feces, Central North Slope, Alaska, 2012-2014
Detection of Multiple Fish Species Using Environmental DNA (eDNA), Alaska 2018
Detection of Seagrass Pathogens using Environmental DNA (eDNA), North Pacific, 2016-Present
Shrew (Sorex sp.) Gut Contents Identified by DNA Metabarcoding, North America, 1968-2016
Genetic Data from Arctic, Polar, and Saffron Cod and Walleye Pollock, Alaska and Canada, 2011-2017
Environmental DNA as a tool for better understanding the distribution, abundance, and health of Atlantic and Pacific salmon
Ocean current patterns drive the worldwide colonization of eelgrass (Zostera marina)
eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska
Fecal DNA metabarcoding shows credible short-term prey detections and explains variation in the gut microbiome of two polar bear subpopulations
Using next generation sequencing of alpine plants to improve fecal metabarcoding diet analysis for Dall’s sheep
Abundance of a recently discovered Alaskan rhodolith bed in a shallow, seagrass-dominated lagoon
Metabarcoding of environmental samples suggest wide distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) pathogens in the north Pacific
Microbiomes from biorepositories? 16S rRNA bacterial amplicon sequencing of archived and contemporary intestinal samples of wild mammals (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)
Environmental DNA: An emerging tool for understanding aquatic biodiversity
Are migratory waterfowl vectors of seagrass pathogens?
Using redundant primer sets to detect multiple native Alaskan fish species from environmental DNA
Micro-geographic population genetic structure within Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) in Beaufort Sea of Alaska
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.