Rate My Professor Anthony Mitchell

Dr. Anthony Mitchell serves as the Laboratory Manager in the Dean's Department at the University of Otago's Christchurch campus, within the Faculty of Medicine. Holding a PhD in Biochemistry and Microbiology from Lincoln University, New Zealand, awarded in 1993, Mitchell has focused his research on biosystematics, phylogenetics, population genetics, taxonomy, conservation, and biosecurity. His work primarily examines evolutionary relationships within and among plant species, with experience extending to fungal and animal taxa. Utilizing molecular phylogenetic approaches, Mitchell develops hypotheses on phylogenetic relationships, investigates character evolution, tests biogeographic patterns, and proposes revised classifications accompanied by taxonomic changes, such as the reinstatement of Raukaua in the Araliaceae.

Since joining the University of Otago, Christchurch in 2005, Mitchell has managed biomedical laboratories, delivering health and safety training, coordinating equipment maintenance and safety assessments, facilitating laboratory inductions, and instructing on shared facilities. His research output includes de Lange P., Heenan P., Houliston G., Rolfe J., Mitchell A. (2013) 'New Lepidium (Brassicaceae) from New Zealand' in PhytoKeys; Mitchell A., Li R., Brown J. W., Schönberger I., Wen J. (2012) 'Ancient divergence and biogeography of Raukaua (Araliaceae) and close relatives in the southern hemisphere' in Australian Systematic Botany; Heenan P. B., Mitchell A. D., de Lange P. J., Keeling J., Paterson A. M. (2010) 'Late-Cenozoic origin and diversification of Chatham Islands endemic plant species revealed by analyses of DNA sequence data' in New Zealand Journal of Botany; Mitchell A. D., Heenan P. B., Murray B. G., Molloy B. P. J., de Lange P. J. (2009) 'Evolution of the south-west Pacific genus Melicytus (Violaceae): evidence from DNA sequence data, cytology, and sex expression' in Australian Systematic Botany; Heenan P. B., Mitchell A. D., Paterson A. (2009) 'Phylogenetic relationships of Geranium species indigenous to New Zealand' in New Zealand Journal of Botany; Vörös J., Mitchell A., Goldstien S. J., Waldman B., Gemmell N. J. (2008) 'Crossing the Tasman Sea: Inferring the introduction history of Litoria aurea and Litoria raniformis (Anura: Hylidae) from Australia into New Zealand' in Austral Ecology. In 2018, the Christchurch campus acknowledged his diligent and good-humored laboratory management. Mitchell's research informs species concepts, population diversity analyses, and genetic methods for environmental protection.