Kirsten Harper

I am a marine and freshwater biologist with a passion for deploying cutting-edge genetic tools in places where traditional methods can be ineffective—think endangered or elusive species, remote islands, and the occasional ornery crayfish. My work focuses on the optimisation and application of eDNA and metabarcoding techniques to understand biodiversity, diet, and microbiomes across a wide range of ecosystems.

At Edinburgh, I lead a diverse range of global eDNA projects—including herbivore diet analysis to support species restoration in Saudi Arabia; microbiome and diet profiling of Scimitar-horned oryx in Chad; the development of blocking primers for marine diet studies around Ascension Island; and large-scale biodiversity assessments in the Sargasso Sea and the remote Pitcairn Islands.

Prior to joining the team here, I worked with the University of Miami and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in California on eDNA approaches for fisheries and sea turtle monitoring, helped develop a confidence assessment tool for qPCR assays at NatureMetrics, and founded Giving Ecologists Access to Resources (GEAR)—a nonprofit I am currently launching to help underrepresented scientists access research resources.

I hold a PhD in Ecology from the University of Stirling, where I first began my journey with eDNA and developed a lasting interest in its endless possibilities as a tool for species monitoring and management. Outside the lab, I enjoy science communication, adventuring with my dogs, and the occasional costume design project.