Professor Rob Ogden
Director of Conservation Science / Director of ECOS / Head of Conservation Genetics

Contact details
Address
- Street
-
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian - City
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Background
I am Chair in Conservation Science at the University of Edinburgh, where I hold the positions of Director of Conservation Science and Head of Conservation Genetics at the Veterinary School and the Roslin Institute. My work in applied conservation genetics includes maintaining an international research programme, directing an online Masters degree programme and taking an active role in the IUCN SSC Conservation Genetics Specialist Group. I also work more broadly in applied conservation science through my role as the Director of ECOS (Edinburgh Conservation Science), a cross-institutional forum for promoting the transfer of science into conservation projects and policy.
I am a past-president of the Society for Wildlife Forensic Science (2015-19), and am a director and co-founder of TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network, an NGO that supports the application of forensic science to wildlife law enforcement around the world.
Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh in 2017, I worked as a visiting professor at Kyoto University (2015-16) and was previously based at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (2011-15), where I held the positions of Head of Science and Director of Conservation.
Qualifications
1999 - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Wales, Bangor - Molecular Ecology
1994 - Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons), University of Liverpool - Marine Biology
Responsibilities & affiliations
- Director, Edinburgh Conservation Science (ECOS) (2018-)
- Director, TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network (2006-)
- Special Professor, Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, Japan (2015-)
- Expert panel member, Scottish Natural Heritage Scientific Advisory Committee (2017-)
- IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group member (2015-)
- Director, Society for Wildlife Forensic Science (2013-)
- UNODC Wildlife Forensics Expert Group (2015-)
- European Association of Zoos and Aquaria – Population genetics advisor (2013-)
- UK (PAW) Wildlife Forensic Working Group (2004-)
-
Conservation management strategy impacts inbreeding and mutation load in scimitar-horned oryx
(8 pages)
In:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), vol. 120, pp. 1-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2210756120
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Stranding collections indicate broad-scale connectivity across the range of a pelagic marine predator, the Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)
(9 pages)
In:
ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil, pp. 1-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsad050
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Genetic diversity Goals and Targets have improved, but remain insufficient for clear implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework
(11 pages)
In:
Conservation genetics, vol. 24, pp. 181-191
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-022-01492-0
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Bringing together approaches to reporting on within species genetic diversity
In:
Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 59, pp. 2227-2233
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14225
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Rapid in situ identification of biological samples via DNA amplicon sequencing using miniaturized laboratory equipment
In:
Nature Protocols, vol. 17, pp. 1415-1443
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-022-00682-x
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Phylogeography and population genetic structure of the European roe deer in Switzerland following recent recolonisation
(14 pages)
In:
Ecology and Evolution, vol. 12
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8626
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Investigating the origins of ivory recovered in the United Kingdom
In:
Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments, vol. 1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100027
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
STRoe deer: a validated forensic STR profiling system for the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
In:
Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsiae.2021.100023
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Genetic diversity of the endangered Japanese golden eagle at neutral and functional loci
In:
Ecological Research, vol. 36
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12246
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Global commitments to conserving and monitoring genetic diversity are now necessary and feasible
In:
BioScience, vol. 71
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab054
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)