Tom Gilbert

Professor Tom Gilbert is the director of the Danish National Research Foundation Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics and group leader of the Hologenomics group at the GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on understanding life through the hologenomic window, which examines the union of hosts and their microbiomes. With a distinguished career in evolutionary biology and ancient DNA research, he has made significant contributions to genomics, conservation biology, and microbiome studies.

Education:

• First class BA in Biological Sciences, University of Oxford (1997-2000)
• D.Phil in Zoology, University of Oxford (2000-2003)

Professor Gilbert's research spans hologenomics, ancient DNA analysis, and evolutionary biology. His work integrates host and microbiome studies to understand evolutionary processes, conservation genetics, and adaptation. He has pioneered methods in ancient DNA extraction and analysis, particularly for degraded samples from museum specimens and archaeological contexts. His research has significant implications for understanding species evolution, conservation efforts, and host-microbe interactions across diverse ecosystems.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on hologenomic approaches to studying diverse organisms, from marine species like Atlantic salmon to endangered mammals like the Zanzibar leopard. The research spans conservation genomics, host-microbiome interactions in aquaculture, chromosome-level assemblies of wildlife species, and evolutionary adaptation in changing environments. His work consistently applies cutting-edge genomic techniques to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and conservation.

Scientific Awards:

• Academic Scholar, Oriel College Oxford (1998-2000)
• Wellcome Trust Prize PhD Studentship in Bioarchaeology (2000-2003)
• Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2005)
• 'Skou' Associate Professor Award (2007)
• Danish 'Elite Young Scientist' Award (2007)
• Honorary Fellow, University of York, UK (2008)

Professor Gilbert has secured numerous competitive grants from organizations including NIH, Danish National Science Research Council, Marie Curie, and Lundbeckfonden. He has supervised numerous postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and MSc students across institutions in Copenhagen, Arizona, and Oxford. Currently, he leads a research group comprising 3 postdocs, 3 PhD students, and 8 MSc students working on hologenomic approaches to evolutionary questions.

As director of the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics and leader of the Hologenomics group, Professor Gilbert oversees a dynamic research environment focused on developing and applying hologenomic methodologies. His team collaborates extensively with researchers worldwide, investigating diverse biological systems through the integrated lens of host and microbiome genomics.