Upcoming Events

SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 15 – 17, 2026
The international conference “Pathway to Increase Standards and Competency of eDNA Surveys” (PISCeS) is being held once again at the University of Guelph between June 15 and 17, 2026, with a reception on the evening of June 14th. Academia, regulators, industry, NGO’s, and Indigenous partners are invited to join in a discussion on public policy, industry strategies and future research on eDNA. The conference will also include panel discussions focused on prominent themes in the eDNA space, various workshops dedicated to practical eDNA tools and methods, and a poster session. Key themes this year include regulatory standards, emergent technology in environmental genomics, sampling design, and eDNA across environments.
Registration
| Registration Type | Early Bird Rate (Until March 15) | Regular Rate (March 16 – June 1) | Late Rate (June 2 – 12) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student and Postdoc Registration | $300 | $400 | $450 |
| Regular Registration | $450 | $600 | $650 |
*Registration fees include breakfast (3), lunch (3), dinner (1), coffee breaks and a reception on the evening of June 14th.
Keynote Speakers
Coming soon.
Abstract Submission
Abstract submissions are due by February 15th, 2026.
Schedule
Coming soon.
Scientific Program Committee
| Dr. Robert Hanner Professor, Dept. of Integrative Biology College of Biological Sciences University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada rhanner@uoguelph.ca | Dr. Matthew Yates Postdoctoral Researcher (Conservation Biology, Ecology, & eDNA) Windsor University Windsor, ON, Canada matthew.yates@outlook.com | Dr. Elizabeth Clare Associate Professor, Dept. of Biology (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) York University Toronto, ON, Canada eclare@yorku.ca |
Local Organizing Committee
| Dr. Robert Hanner Professor, Department of Integrative Biology College of Biological Sciences University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada rhanner@uoguelph.ca | Dr. Eric Bonk Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Integrative Biology College of Biological Sciences University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada ebonk@uoguelph.ca |
| Kate Lindsay Research Assistant, Department of Integrative Biology (Hanner Lab) University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada ebonk@uoguelph.ca | Helen Vanos Communications & Operations Coordinator, Biodiversity Institute of Conservation Synthesis (BICS) University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada vanosh@uoguelph.ca |
Past Events
The second occurrence of the international conference “Pathway to Increase Standards and Competency of eDNA Surveys” (PISCeS) was held at the University of Guelph between June 18 and 20, 2023. Academia, regulators, industry, NGO’s, and Indigenous partners were all invited to join in a discussion on public policy, industry strategies and future research on eDNA. The conference also included three panel discussions focused on prominent themes in the eDNA space, and five workshops dedicated to practical eDNA tools and methods. A comprehensive summary of the major themes covered was subsequently published in Genome and is available to review here. A summary of the talks have also been made available on Youtube.
JUNE 18-20, 2023

Contact Us
For General Inquiries:
pisces@uoguelph.ca
For Sponsorship Information:
Jillian Randall (nee Santi) (she/her/hers)
Alumni Advancement Manager
College of Biological Science, Alumni Affairs & Development
University of Guelph
226-821-3659
jsanti@uoguelph.ca
For Information Regarding Scientific Program and Committees:
Dr. Robert Hanner
rhanner@uoguelph.ca