Significant work includes the search of the Loch Ness Monster (2018) and the sequencing of the tuatara genome (published in 2020).

He was inspired by his science teacher, Saty Candasamy, to pursue this interest and initially aimed to study zoology.

"[6] During 2020, Gemmell advocated the implementation of a wastewater monitoring system to detect ribonucleic acid (RNA) as a method to identify infections with COVID-19.

Based on overseas research, Gemmell estimates that new cases may be detected two to three days faster than using standard methods.

He cited the case of Arizona State University, where a wastewater sample from a residential college with 300 individuals showed positive results.

[10] Gemmell undertook research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on gene drive for pest control.

The society's citation said the award was "for fundamentally changing our understanding of animal ecology and evolution and driving the development of new approaches for conservation and management of the world's rarest species".