Intern diary – Mahya on elm genetics and the evolution of Dutch elm disease

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Blog, Intern Blogs

A person wearing glasses, a light-coloured head covering, and a dark plaid jacket stands indoors in front of an ornate red metal spiral staircase. The space appears to be a large institutional interior with cream-coloured walls, wooden floors, railings, storage cabinets, and shelves in the background. The staircase rises behind the person across two levels, with decorative railings and columns. An exit sign and stacked boxes are visible further back in the room.

Working as part of the Evolution of Dutch elm disease (DED) across the elm family (Ulmaceae) project, Mahya combined two kinds of genetic information: new whole-genome data and publicly available DNA data from earlier studies to compare how each type of genetic marker helps improve understanding of the relationship between elm species and also spent time tracing how DED has evolved and spread across the elm family.

Read Mahya’s intern diary to find out more: Intern diary – Mahya on working on elm genetics and the evolution of Dutch elm disease.