Lynsey Wilcox Talbot

Lynsey has been a part of the NOAA team since 2007 after earning a Master of Science degree in Biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is the lab manager of the Marine Mammal Molecular Genetics Laboratory (MMMGL) in Lafayette, Louisiana. She works on various genetic projects for the center, with a focus on examining stock structure and taxonomy of marine mammals inhabiting the U.S. waters of the western North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Lynsey uses traditional molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping as well as next-generation methods to study multiple cetacean species, including common bottlenose dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, sperm whales, and Rice’s whales. She also manages a laboratory dedicated to the isolation of ancient DNA and utilizes careful lab procedures to extract DNA from samples such as bone for species identification and the examination of historical specimens. Most recently, Lynsey has implemented the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques to gain information about the habitat range and prey preference of the endangered Rice’s whale.

A list of her publications can be assessed using this link.