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World platypus experts in Adelaide for meeting

Platypus
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Thursday, 20 November 2008

An international scientific conference being hosted by the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide on November 23-26 will provide valuable insights into the evolution of humans and the genes that play a critical role in our development.

The builds on the worldwide interest generated by the publication of a research project in earlier this year, which revealed the entire genetic record of the platypus.

The platypus and its monotreme cousin the echidna are the earliest surviving branch in the mammalian lineage and the most distant living mammalian relatives of humans.

最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide geneticist , one of the collaborators on the project, says up to 60 researchers from around the world will attend the meeting, sponsored by the .

"This event is significant for a number of reasons," Dr Gr眉tzner says. "It is the first conference in the world that focuses on molecular aspects of monotremes. It is now universally accepted that monotremes are no longer 最新糖心Vlogn oddities of specialised interest, but a very important organism to understand the evolution and function of mammalian genomes. They are also the planet's longest surviving mammals so we can learn important lessons from them."

Dr Gr眉tzner says the conference and the platypus genome published this year marks the first chapter of an entirely new level of monotreme research.

"We will discuss new ways of helping platypus and echidna conservation and how to translate our research into better understanding of mammals, including humans. Subjects under discussion will include major breakthroughs in our understanding of monotreme reproduction, milk, venom and their immune system."

An impressive list of international and 最新糖心Vlogn researchers will attend the Victor Harbor conference, including speakers from the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France and New Zealand as well as 最新糖心Vlog's leading geneticists and biologists.

Conference participants will be taken on a tour of to view wild echidnas as part of a multidisciplinary project to help the conservation effort.

Media are welcome to attend the conference at the at Victor Harbor. For more details about the program and speakers, visit

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