About
Andrew Kinziger is Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Fisheries Biology at Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State University), where he has taught fisheries management and mentored M.S. level graduate students since 2003. His research emphasizes the application of genetic approaches for fish conservation and management, with particular focus on environmental DNA methodologies and genomics of local adaptation in fishes including Chinook salmon, Pacific lamprey, and tidewater goby.
Kinziger earned his B.S. in Environmental Science (with Computer Science minor) from St. Norbert College in 1996, followed by an M.S. in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology from Frostburg State University in 1998, and completed his Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics at Saint Louis University in 2003.
His research program centers on two major branches: environmental DNA applications for monitoring fish populations (including Chinook salmon abundance, coho salmon distribution, and endangered species metapopulation dynamics), and genomics of local adaptation in fishes (studying run-timing in Chinook salmon, ocean- and river-maturing ecotypes in Pacific lamprey, and climate adaptation in tidewater goby). His work spans diverse taxonomic groups including salmonids, cyprinids, tidewater goby, catostomids, and Cottus species across freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Analysis of Kinziger's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on developing and validating environmental DNA methodologies for conservation applications, particularly for endangered species monitoring. His work increasingly integrates genomic approaches to understand the genetic basis of adaptive traits in fishes, with notable contributions to Pacific lamprey research and tidewater goby conservation.
Kinziger has mentored numerous graduate students, with thesis work focusing on environmental DNA applications, conservation genetics, and population structure of various fish species. His laboratory has secured funding for research on eDNA methodology development, fish population monitoring, and genetic studies of local adaptation.
The Kinziger Lab maintains active research programs in environmental DNA methodology, conservation genetics of native California fishes, and population genomics of adaptive traits. The lab collaborates extensively with state and federal fisheries agencies, particularly on projects related to endangered species conservation and management in California's river systems.
