Margaux Fayaud

I am a PhD student working on conservation genomics of UK red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). I graduated with a MSc in Conservation Ecology from Sorbonne Université in Paris, in 2023. I discovered conservation genetics during an exchange semester I did in Lausanne in my final year of undergraduate studies, and explored the landscape genetics of the Coquerel's sifaka for my master's project.

My PhD focuses on the UK red squirrel, which is threatened by the introduced North-American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) through competition and infection by the squirrelpox virus it carries. My project will exploit a dataset of whole-genome sequences from more than 100 Scottish red squirrels, and extend it to red squirrels from mainland Europe. I will conduct comparative genomic and immunogenomic analyses between Scottish and continental red squirrels to gather genetic information on threatened populations. Moreover, I will investigate the genetic health of populations involved in existing conservation actions such as translocations or stronghold areas (i.e. forest patches that can act as refuges for red squirrels in Scotland). Overall, this project should provide information to support applied conservation and management of red squirrels in the UK.

My supervisors are Prof Rob Ogden, Dr Emily Humble, Dr Melissa Marr and Dr Peter Lurz.