Dr. Hebert conducts research in the area of evolutionary biology, with a focus on the genetic diversity of aquatic organisms. He is currently leading a variety of research projects that blend laboratory and field work, including the International Barcode of Life Project, an effort to inventory the earth’s biodiversity using DNA barcodes. Barcoding is a method developed by Dr. Hebert that uses a short gene sequence from a standardized region of the genome to differentiate species. Various barcoding campaigns are now underway around the world to identify species of insects, birds, fish, algae and other taxonomic groups, benefiting from the participation of the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding (CCDB), which Dr. Hebert also directs. Its laboratory facilities can process a remarkable 500,000 specimens per year and is continually seeking to develop and apply new technologies that will lower the cost and improve the efficiency of barcoding.

In the past, Dr. Hebert has investigated the evolution of breeding systems, the origins of invading species, biodiversity in aquatic settings, the recolonization of Canadian waters after deglaciation and variation in genome size among species.

Dr. Hebert is Director of the Canadian Barcode of Life Network, the first national network dedicated to large-scale DNA barcoding, and Director of the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding which is developing high-throughput laboratory barcoding methods and software for the storage and analysis of barcodes. He served as Chair of the Department of Zoology for a decade and holds a Canada Research Chair in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph. Dr. Hebert received his PhD in genetics from Cambridge University in 1972. He returned to Canada in 1976, joining the University of Windsor where he was a professor in biological sciences and Director of the Great Lakes Institute. He moved to the University of Guelph in 1990. He has been a visiting professor at the Australian National University, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the University of Adelaide. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and Director of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario. He recently served as Chair of the Board at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre.