Speaker — Neptune Forum 2026
Michael Bunce
Prof. Mike Bunce, Director Ecosystem Intelligence and OceanOmics, Minderoo Foundation
Director, OceanOmics and Ecosystem Intelligence, Minderoo
Minderoo Foundation
Prof Mike Bunce has a passion for all thing DNA. After studying at Lincoln University (NZ), he completed a PhD in virology at ANU then took his DNA skills and applied them within the fields of ancient and environmental DNA. He spent the last two decades (at Universities in Oxford, Canada and Australia) extracting DNA from a wide variety of biological material – from fossils to seawater. Mike has published over 220 papers. In 2019, he left the University system to take up A Chief Scientist role in New Zealand, but in 2020 was seconded into Aotearoa’s COVID-19 response, where he wrote science advice and policy on the pandemic response. In 2025 Mike moved to the Minderoo Foundation (Australia’s largest philanthropy) where he is a director of OceanOmics and Ecosystem intelligence. His role involves making impactful investments/collaborations that promote the uptake of DNA tools to manage marine ecosystems more effectively. Mike is most passionate about (i) connecting people to their blue backyard through the lens of eDNA and (ii) making DNA-tools more accessible to decision makers.
