Who We Are
The Corals Genomics Study project endavours to generate novel genomic resources to enhance species delimitation, genetic diversity assessment, and monitoring of Kenyan corals—key steps in boosting the success and adaptability of ongoing reef restoration programs.
Our team encompasses a diverse array of skillsets, including bioinformatics, molecular biology, marine ecology, zoology, and conservation, all applied towards achieving one goal: to utilise cutting-edge sequencing technologies to resolve the confounding coral species boundaries and provide actionable knowledge to further the coral conservation efforts on the Kenyan coast and worldwide.
Our mission
To utilise genomics to refine coral taxonomy, uncover cryptic diversity in the coral species under restoration on the Kenyan coast and inform coral reef conservation strategies to save it for future generations.
Why Genomics in Coral Taxonomy
In the field, morphology-based coral taxonomy (traditional taxonomy) is the only tool available to conservationists and scientists. The caveat is that this readily available taxonomy tool struggles with species level accuracy due phenotypic plasiticity.
Genomic technologies now allow us to:
- Reveal cryptic species that cannot be detected by morphology.
- Accurately resolve species boundaries.
- Identify potential molecular markers with species level resolution capablilities.
Our Research Approaches
The Coral Genomics Study will employ a cost-effective, tiered sequencing strategy that combines low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (lcWGS) and Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). Additionally, long-read sequencing (e.g., Oxford Nanopore) will be incorporated for a representative subset of samples to improve marker resolution and identify structural variants. lcWGS will be the primary approach, offering broad genome-wide SNP coverage at relatively low cost, well-suited for phylogenomic analyses and marker discovery without the need for a reference genome. Its recent validation in coral systematics and barcode development makes it ideal for delineating cryptic species in complex reef assemblages. Where appropriate, especially in samples with high genomic complexity, RADseq will be deployed to focus on the most variable genomic regions, reducing sequencing redundancy and cost. Together, these technologies will allow us to identify species-informative SNPs and develop novel DNA barcodes. These markers will then be used to design a rapid, low-cost PCR-based diagnostic protocol for species identification and diversity assessment—tools urgently needed by conservation practitioners in the region.
Currently, on-site coral reef restoration programs lack the ability to identify most corals beyond the Genus level, hindering the identification and conservation of coral species most at risk.
This project will directly integrate into ongoing restoration work at Shimoni on Kenya’s South Coast, in collaboration with REEFolution, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and the Wildlife Research & Training Institute (WRTI). These partnerships will ensure immediate application of the genomic tools, while building local capacity for coral taxonomy and long-term conservation genomics in the Western Indian Ocean.
Our Impact
By combining genomics and coral taxonomy, we are providing actionable knowledge that will help policy makers, scientists and conservationists to:
- Recoginse and prioritise the conservation of unique coral lineages.
- Make evidence-based decisions on location and scope of marine protected areas.
- Run restoration projects with genetically diverse and resilient corals.
The project also aims to recruit and train local research students. By supervising and mentoring these students (Master’s and PhD level), we contribute to building and enhancing the research capacity and capabilities in the region.
Collaborations
This project thrives on partnerships with research institutes, conservation organizations, and funding agencies that believe in the importance of genomic science for marine conservation. Together, we aim to create open resources, training opportunities, and data repositories accessible to the global scientific community.