Rate My Professor Jackson Treece

Jackson Treece serves as a Research Technician in the Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, within the University of Otago's Division of Health Sciences. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Otago in 2018 and completed training in Clinical Laboratory Science through the U.S. Army Medical Department from 2005 to 2006. Joining the Gemmell Lab in December 2018, Treece brings expertise in clinical laboratory science and molecular biology, supporting a wide array of projects in environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and biosurveillance technologies.

Treece's contributions center on developing point-of-need molecular detection tools and field-deployable eDNA methods for ecological monitoring and pest detection. His research includes recovering historical eDNA from museum-preserved filter feeders and sponges, characterizing Antarctic fish assemblages via seawater and sponge eDNA surveys, streamlining oceanic biomonitoring with passive filtration, and advancing CRISPR-based environmental biosurveillance. Key publications co-authored by Treece feature 'Recovering Historical eDNA From Museum-Preserved Filter Feeders via Non-Destructive Metabarcoding' (2026), 'Rapid GeneXpert surveillance of influenza A virus in seabirds and the environment' (2026), 'Unlocking Antarctic molecular time-capsules – Recovering historical environmental DNA from museum-preserved sponges' (2024), 'Characterizing Antarctic fish assemblages using eDNA metabarcoding of seawater and filter-feeding sponges' (2024), 'Streamlining large-scale oceanic biomonitoring using passive in situ filtration technology' (2024), 'A comparative analysis of seawater and sponge eDNA surveys: Unveiling the hidden diversity of marine eukaryotes' (2023), and 'Whole Transcriptome RNA-Seq Reveals Drivers of Pathological Dysfunction in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer’s Disease' (2025). With 23 research items, his work has accumulated 158 citations and over 4,135 reads, influencing molecular ecology, Antarctic research, and wildlife health surveillance in Aotearoa New Zealand. Proficient in PCR, DNA and RNA extraction, sequencing, gel electrophoresis, and cell culture, Treece plays a vital role in advancing practical applications of genomics in diverse environmental contexts.