Dr. Andrea Schreier - Director
Research Interests
My research program is three-pronged. I apply genetic and genomic tools to
1) improve management and conservation of fish and wildlife species
2) understand the role of polyploidy in vertebrate evolution, and
3) improve aquaculture sustainability to protect our fisheries resources.
I have been working with sturgeon species for over a decade and am particularly interested in their conservation, ecology, and evolution.
Ph.D. in Ecology, UC Davis, 2012
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M.S. in Wildlife Genetics, Purdue University, 2006
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B.S. in Biology (chemistry minor), Hillsdale College, 2003
Recent Peer Reviewed Publications (*mentored student)
Nagarajan, R., M. Bedwell, A. Holmes*, T. Sanches*, S. Acuña, M. Baerwald, M. Barnes, S. Blakenship, R. E. Connon, K.
Deiner,D. Gille, C. S. Goldberg, M. E. Hunter, C. L. Jerde, G. Luikart, R. S. Meyer, A. Watts, and A. Schreier. 2022. Environmental DNA methods for ecological monitoring and biodiversity assessment in estuaries. Estuaries and Coasts, online early.
Coen, A.*, M. Fish, R. Lovell, J. Rodzen, R. Schwartz, and A. Schreier. 2021. High levels of genetic divergence detected in
Sacramento Perch (Archoplites interruptus) suggest two divergent translocation sources. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 150(3):375-387.
Schreier, A. D., J. P. Van Eenennaam, P. Anders, S. Young, and J. Crossman. 2021. Spontaneous autopolyploidy in the
Acipenseriformes, with recommendations for management. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 31:159-180.
Van Eenennaam, J. P., A. Fiske*, M. J. Leal, C. Cooley-Rieders, A. E. Todgham, F. S. Conte, and A. D. Schreier. 2020.
Mechanical shock during egg de-adhesion and post-ovulatory ageing contribute to spontaneous autopolyploidy in white sturgeon culture (Acipenser transmontanus). Aquaculture 515:734530 (open access)
Baerwald, M. R., A. M. Goodbla, R. P. Nagarajan, J. S. Gootenberg, O. O. Abudayyeh, F. Zheng, and A. D. Schreier. 2020.
Rapid and accurate species identification for ecological studies and monitoring using CRISPR-based SHERLOCK. Molecular Ecology Resources 20(4):961-970.
Thorstensen, M.*, P. Bates, K. Lepla, and A. Schreier. 2019. To breed or not to breed? Maintaining genetic diversity in white
sturgeon supplementation programs. Online early in Conservation Genetics.
See the Publications page for additional papers I’ve co-authored and pdfs.
Selected Limited Distribution Publications
Schreier, A., J. Van Eenennaam, and Paul Anders. 2018. A management plan for spontaneous autopolyploidy in cultured
white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in Lower Columbia and Snake River impoundments. Report to the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Portland, OR. 24 pp.
Thorstensen, M.* and A. Schreier. 2017. A comparison of genetic diversity and number of breeders represented by
broodstock and repatriation sampling of white sturgeon in the Bliss to C.J. Strike Reach of the Snake River. Report to Idaho Power Company, Boise, ID. 21 pp.
Coen, A.*, and A. Schreier. 2017. Using non-invasive genetics to compare how a California highway affects gene flow in a
disturbance-averse versus a disturbance-tolerant species. Report to the National Center for Sustainable Transportation, Davis, CA. 21 pp.
Schreier, A., S. Brandl*, and B. May. 2013. Snake River white sturgeon genetic management plan. Report to the Idaho Power
Company, Boise, ID. 60 pp.
Israel, J., A. Drauch, and M. Gingras. 2009. Life history conceptual model for white sturgeon. Report to Bay Delta Ecosystem
Restoration and Improvement Program, Sacramento, CA. 54 pp.
Here is a list of my a few of my current research projects. For more information on each project, click on the bolded text. Previous projects are archived on the Past Projects page.
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Using CRISPR-based SHERLOCK for rapid genetic species identification in the field: Although CRISPR is often associated with genome-editing, certain CRISPR-Cas complexes can be used for nucleic acid detection. We are developing SHERLOCK assays (CRISPR-Cas13a) to differentiate between morphologically similar species (smelt species; Baerwald et al. 2020), subspecies/ESUs (Chinook salmon runs; Baerwald et al., in prep) and to identify species presence using eDNA.
Development of parentage based tagging to improve conservation aquaculture of endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon: We are testing the accuracy of a tetrasomic SNP panel to assign parentage in hatchery-origin Kootenai River white sturgeon juveniles. If a genetic tag can be used instead of a physical tag, young sturgeon can be released from the hatchery at a smaller size/age, minimizing some negative effects of captive rearing.
Population genetics and inbreeding in the endangered San Fernando Valley spineflower: The endangered San Fernando Valley spineflower is only found in two isolated locations in southern California. We are developing SNP markers to examine genetic diversity and population structure within and among locations. We will also use these markers to do parentage analysis and estimate inbreeding coefficients in greenhouse experiments to evaluate inbreeding depression.