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Robert (Scott) Cornman, Ph.D.
Biography
(Robert) Scott Cornman is a Biologist at the Fort Collins Science Center. He received a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Georgia. He is a genomics specialist focusing on the application of SNPs, RNA-Seq, and barcode sequencing to organismal ecology and conservation.
Education
- PhD Genetics/University of Georgia, 2006
- B.A. History/Rice University, 1992
Professional Experience
- 2015-present, Biologist, USGS FORT, Fort Collins, CO
- 2012-2015, Biologist, USGS LSC, Leetown, WV
- 2008-2012, Geneticist, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
Science and Products
Molecular Ecology Lab (MEL)
The Molecular Ecology Laboratory applies genetic and genomic technologies to address a variety of complex questions and conservation issues facing the management of the Nation's fish and wildlife resources. Together with our partners, we design and implement studies to document genetic diversity and the distribution of genetic variation among individuals, populations, and species. Information...
Genomics and Bioinformatics
Genetic analysis is increasingly used to understand ecosystem processes and inform conservation, management, and policy. I assist USGS researchers and their collaborators in the design, analysis, and interpretation of high-throughput genetic studies. Common applications include: detecting genes responsive to particular environmental stressors in a sentinel species or species of conservation...
Experimental analysis of Elliptio complanata transcriptional response to salt stress
The data set is a table of counts, with the rows being the transcripts detected in the samples in the experiment and the columns identifying the samples. Four mussles were exposed to normal freshwater and four mussels were exposed to high salinity (two ppt), for a period of seven days.
Provenance, classification, and abundance of RNA sequence fragments used to assess virus infections in honey bees, Apis mellifera
This dataset was used to assess the relative occurrence and titer of Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Varroa destructor virus 1 (VDV) in public RNA-seq accessions of honey bee using a rapid, kmer-based approach. The data highlight the utility of high-throughput sequencing to monitor viral polymorphisms and statistically test biological predictors of titer.
An experimental comparison of composite and grab sampling of stream water for metagenetic analysis of environmental DNA
Use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to assess distributions of aquatic and semi-aquatic macroorganisms is promising, but sampling schemes may need to be tailored to specific objectives. Given the potentially high variance in aquatic eDNA among replicate grab samples, compositing smaller water volumes collected over a period of time may be more...
Cornman, Robert S.; McKenna, James E.; Fike, Jennifer A.; Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Johnson, Robin Genomic evolution, recombination, and inter-strain diversity of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 from Florida and Hawaii green sea turtles with fibropapillomatosis
Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) is a herpesvirus associated with fibropapillomatosis (FP) in sea turtles worldwide. Single-locus typing has previously shown differentiation between Atlantic and Pacific strains of this virus, with low variation within each geographic clade. However, a lack of multi-locus genomic sequence data hinders...
Morrison, Cheryl L.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Work, Thierry M.; Fahsbender, Elizabeth; Breitbart, Mya; Adams, Cynthia R.; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Sanders, Lakyn; Ackermann, Mathias; Cornman, Robert S. Using colony monitoring devices to evaluate the impacts of land use and nutritional value of forage on honey bee health
Colony monitoring devices used to track and assess the health status of honey bees are becoming more widely available and used by both beekeepers and researchers. These devices monitor parameters relevant to colony health at frequent intervals, often approximating real time. The fine-scale record of hive condition can be further related to static...
Smart, Matthew; Otto, Clint R. V.; Cornman, Robert S.; Iwanowicz, Deborah D. Draft genome sequence of a picorna-like virus associated with gill tissue in clinically normal brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis
Here, we report a draft genome sequence of a picorna-like virus associated with brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, gill tissue. The draft genome comprises 8,681 nucleotides, excluding the poly(A) tract, and contains two open reading frames. It is most similar to picorna-like viruses that infect invertebrates.
Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Adams, Cynthia R.; Galbraith, Heather S.; Aunins, Aaron W.; Cornman, Robert S. Relative abundance of deformed wing virus, Varroa destructor virus 1, and their recombinants in honey bees (Apis mellifera) assessed by kmer analysis of public RNA-Seq data
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a major pathogen of concern to apiculture, and recent reports have indicated the local predominance and potential virulence of recombinants between DWV and a related virus, Varroa destructor virus 1 (VDV). However, little is known about the frequency and titer of VDV and recombinants relative to DWV generally. In this...
Cornman, Robert S. RNA sequencing analysis of transcriptional change in the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata after environmentally relevant sodium chloride exposure
To identify potential biomarkers of salt stress in a freshwater sentinel species, we examined transcriptional responses of the common mussel Elliptio complanata to controlled sodium chloride (NaCl) exposures. Ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-Seq) of mantle tissue identified 481 transcripts differentially expressed in adult mussels exposed to 2 ppt...
Robertson, Laura S.; Galbraith, Heather S.; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Blakeslee, Carrie J.; Cornman, Robert S. Available genetic data do not support adaptation of Tobacco ringspot virus to an arthropod host
No abstract available.
Cornman, Robert S. A comparison of honey bee-collected pollen from working agricultural lands using light microscopy and ITS metabarcoding
Taxonomic identification of pollen has historically been accomplished via light microscopy but requires specialized knowledge and reference collections, particularly when identification to lower taxonomic levels is necessary. Recently, next-generation sequencing technology has been used as a cost-effective alternative for identifying bee-collected...
Smart, Matthew; Cornman, Robert S.; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; McDermott-Kubeczko, Margaret; Pettis, Jeff S; Spivak, Marla S; Otto, Clint R. V. Complete genome sequence of a novel aquareovirus that infects the endangered fountain darter, Etheostoma fonticola
Here, we report the complete genome of a novel aquareovirus isolated from clinically normal fountain darters, Etheostoma fonticola, inhabiting the San Marcos River, Texas, USA. The complete genome consists of 23,958 bp consisting of 11 segments that range from 783 bp (S11) to 3,866 bp (S1).
Iwanowicz, Luke R. ; Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Adams, Cynthia R.; Lewis, Teresa D.; Brandt, Thomas M.; Cornman, Robert S.; Sanders, Lakyn R. Transcriptome discovery in non-model wild fish species for the development of quantitative transcript abundance assays
Environmental studies increasingly identify the presence of both contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and legacy contaminants in aquatic environments; however, the biological effects of these compounds on resident fishes remain largely unknown. High throughput methodologies were employed to establish partial transcriptomes for three wild-caught...
Hahn, Cassidy M.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Cornman, Robert S.; Mazik, Patricia M.; Blazer, Vicki S. Critical considerations for the application of environmental DNA methods to detect aquatic species
Species detection using environmental DNA (eDNA) has tremendous potential for contributing to the understanding of the ecology and conservation of aquatic species. Detecting species using eDNA methods, rather than directly sampling the organisms, can reduce impacts on sensitive species and increase the power of field surveys for rare and elusive...
Goldberg, Caren S.; Turner, Cameron R.; Deiner, Kristy; Klymus, Katy E.; Thomsen, Philip Francis; Murphy, Melanie A.; Spear, Stephen F.; McKee, Anna; Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Cornman, Robert S.; Laramie, Matthew B.; Mahon, Andrew R.; Lance, Richard F.; Pilliod, David S.; Strickler, Katherine M.; Waits, Lisette P.; Fremier, Alexander K.; Takahara, Teruhiko; Herder, Jelger E.; Taberlet, Pierre Metabarcoding of fecal samples to determine herbivore diets: A case study of the endangered Pacific pocket mouse
Understanding the diet of an endangered species illuminates the animal’s ecology, habitat requirements, and conservation needs. However, direct observation of diet can be difficult, particularly for small, nocturnal animals such as the Pacific pocket mouse (Heteromyidae: Perognathus longimembris pacificus). Very little is known of the dietary...
Iwanowicz, Deborah D.; Vandergast, Amy G.; Cornman, Robert S.; Adams, Cynthia R.; Kohn, Joshua R.; Fisher, Robert N.; Brehme, Cheryl S.