Isabella Livingston

  • 4th year Ph.D. student
  • Program: Genetics
  • Hometown: Lake Oswego, Oregon
  • Education: BS Biology with an emphasis in Zoology SDSU
  • Lab: Breen Lab
  • Fun fact: I used to be a nationally ranked dog show handler
  • Email: igliving@ncsu.edu
  • Publications:
    • Gregory, T.M., I. Livingston, E. Hawkins, A. Loyola, A. Cave, S. Vaden, D. Deresienski, M. Breen, M. Riofrío-Lazo, G.A. Lewbart, and D. Páez-Rosas (2022, Aug). Dirofilaria immitis identified in Galápagos sea lions: a wildlife health and conservation concern. Short communication submitted to Journal of Wildlife Disease. (in review)
    • Johri, S., I. Livingston, A. Tiwari, J.B. Solanki, A. Busch, I. Moreno, M. Doane, and E. Dinsdale (2020, June). Reducing data deficiencies: Preliminary Elasmobranch Fisheries Surveys in India, Identify Range Extensions and Large Proportions of Female and Juvenile Landings. Frontiers in Marine Science.
    • Johri, S, S.R. Fellows, J. Solanki, A. Busch, I. Livingston, M.F Mora, A. Tiwari, V.A. Cantu, A. Goodman, M.M. Morris, M.P. Doane, R.A. Edwards, and E.A. Dinsdale (2019, Dec). Mitochondrial genome to aid species delimitation and effective conservation of the Sharpnose Guitarfish (Glaucostegus granulatus). Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resources. Meta Gene. 24: 1-7.
    • Rojas, M.I., S. Giles, M. Little, I. Livingston, R. Baron, T. Dagenais, J. Baer, A.G. Cobian- Guemes, B. White, and F. Rohwer (2021, Apr). Swabbing the Urban Environment – A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs. J. Vis. Exp.
    • Livingston, I.G., Gregory, T.M., Hawkins, E.C., Cave, A., Loyola, A., Vaden, S.L., Deresienski, D., Riofrío-Lazo, M., Lewbart, G.A., Páez-Rosas, D. and Breen, M. (2024), Molecular Discovery of Filarial Nematode DNA in an Endangered Wild Pinniped (Galapagos Sea Lion, Zalophus wollebaeki). Ecol Evol, 14: e70596. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70596
    • Badgett, S.L, M.K.R. Scheible, I.G. Livingston, E.P. Meredith, N.P. Gould, J. Strules, C.S. DePerno, C. Olfenbuttel, M.K. Stoskopf, M. Breen, C. Arnold, and K.A. Meiklejohn (2023, Oct). Characterizing North Carolina black bear (Ursus americanus) populations using UrsaPlex v2.0. Forensic Sci. Int. Animals and Environments.
    • Gregory, T.M., I. Livingston, E. Hawkins, A. Loyola, A. Cave, S. Vaden, D. Deresienski, M. Breen, M. Riofrío-Lazo, G.A. Lewbart, and D. Páez-Rosas (2023, Feb). Dirofilaria immitis identified in Galápagos sea lions: a wildlife health and conservation concern. Short communication submitted to Journal of Wildlife Disease.
    • Johri, S., I. Livingston, A. Tiwari, J.B. Solanki, A. Busch, I. Moreno, M. Doane, and E. Dinsdale (2020, June). Reducing data deficiencies: Preliminary Elasmobranch Fisheries Surveys in India, Identify Range Extensions and Large Proportions of Female and Juvenile Landings. Frontiers in Marine Science. 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.619695
    • Johri, S, S.R. Fellows, J. Solanki, A. Busch, I. Livingston, M.F Mora, A. Tiwari, V.A. Cantu, A. Goodman, M.M. Morris, M.P. Doane, R.A. Edwards, and E.A. Dinsdale (2019, Dec). Mitochondrial genome to aid species delimitation and effective conservation of the Sharpnose Guitarfish (Glaucostegus granulatus). Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resources. Meta Gene. 24: 1-7.
    • Rojas, M.I., S. Giles, M. Little, I. Livingston, R. Baron, T. Dagenais, J. Baer, A.G. Cobian- Guemes, B. White, and F. Rohwer (2021, Apr). Swabbing the Urban Environment – A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs. J. Vis. Exp. Apr 9;(170). doi: 10.3791/62379. PMID: 33900300.
  • Presentations:

    • Oct 2024 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Molecular Identification of Filarial Nematode DNA in an Endangered Galapagos Pinniped.” Research talk at The Wildlife Society’s Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.

    • Apr 2024 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Population Genetics and Dynamics of the North Carolina Black Bear (Ursus americanus).” Poster at NCSU Graduate Student Research Symposium.

    • Mar 2024 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Population Genetics and Dynamics of the North Carolina Black Bear (Ursus americanus).” Poster at NCSU Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Symposium.

    • Feb 2024 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Population Genetics and Dynamics of the North Carolina Black Bear (Ursus americanus).” Poster at Biotechnology Training Symposium.

    • Nov 2023 – Livingston, I.G. “Population Genetics and Dynamics of the North Carolina Black Bear (Ursus americanus).” Oral presentation at The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Louisville, KY.
    • Aug 2023 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Population Genetics and Dynamics of the North Carolina Black Bear (Ursus americanus).” Flash talk at NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Competition.
    • Aug 2023 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Genetics and Genomics Aid in Identification of Parasites from Non-Native Species in an Endangered Galapagos Pinniped.” Poster at NCSU CVM Litwack Research Day.
    • Apr 2023 – Livingston, I.G. “Genetics and Genomics Aid in Identification of Parasites from Non-Native Species in an Endangered Galapagos Pinniped.” Poster at NCSU Graduate Student Symposium.
    • Mar 2023 – Livingston, I.G. “Analysis of the Prevalence of Heartworm Parasites in an Endangered Galapagos Pinniped.” Flash talk at Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Symposium.
    • Aug 2022 – Livingston, I.G. “Genetic and Genomic Tools Aid in a Comprehensive Health Assessment of an Endangered Galápagos pinniped.” Flash talk at NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Competition.
    • 2022 – NCSU Genetics and Genomics Scholars Poster Session, “Sentinel Species Allow Us to Better Understand and Manage the Health Effects of Climate Change”.
    • 2022 – NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Contest, “Genetics and Genomic Tools Aid in a Comprehensive Health Assessment of a Galapagos Pinniped”.
    • May 2020 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Elasmobranch biodiversity and conservation assessment in western India.” Undergraduate Honors Thesis, San Diego State University.
    • Oct 2019 – Livingston, I.G., et al. “Assessment of chondrichthyan biodiversity in western India.” Presented at Western Society of Naturalists Conference.
    • \Mar 2019 – Livingston, I.G., and Busch, A. “Biological survey of Chondrichthyes in La Jolla, California, using environmental DNA.” SDSU Student Research Symposium.
    • Mar 2019 – Livingston, I.G., and Busch, A. “Biological survey of Chondrichthyes in La Jolla, California, using environmental DNA.” Spring Viral Informatics Institute Meeting.
    • Oct 2018 – Johri, S., Livingston, I.G., and Busch, A. “IMCC5 Seminar Recordings.” Presented at IMCC5.
    • June 2018 – Tiwari, A., et al. “Fisheries dependent biodiversity survey of Chondrichthyes in Gujarat, India.” Presented at IMCC5 Seminar and to local communities.
    • June 2018 – Livingston, I.G., and Silva, K. “Abundance of the Macrobes and Microbes found on the Sydney Harbour Rocky Shores.” Presented in Sydney, Australia.
  • Notable achievements:
    • The Integrative Symposium of NC State Training Grants Top Poster Presentation Award (2025)
    • The Wildlife Society’s Molecular Ecology Working Group Travel Award Recipient (2024)
    • NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Annual Retreat Poster Competition (2024) – Top Honor
    • NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Competition (2023) – Third place Recipient
    • NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine Litwack Research Day Top Honor Poster Presentation (2023).
    • Genetics and Genomics Academy Henry E. Schaffer Teaching Award Recipient (2023)
    • NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Travel Award (2023) NCSU GAANN Fellowship (2023 – )
    • NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Competition (2022) – Second place Recipient