Highlander Lab

Letícia A. C. Lara

Post-doc

Moved to a research scientist position at AbacusBio (UK)

Highlander Leticia

Research at the Highlander Lab

My main project is on designing alternative breeding programme for Black Soldier Fly in partnership with Beta Bugs company. My other main project is on genomic and temporal analysis of genetic variance partitioning in breeding programme (simulated wheat and maize breeding programmes). I have also contributed to other studies.

Ongoing research / contributions:

  • Simulate breeding programme for Black Soldier Fly
  • Extend knowledge from insect-as-feed to insect-as-food (crickets)
  • Genomic and temporal analysis of additive genetic variance (wheat)
  • Genomic and temporal analysis of non-additive genetic variance (maize)
  • Genomic and temporal analysis of genetic covariance between multiple traits (real cattle data)
  • Transition strategy for two-part genomic selection (oil seed)

 

Background

I completed BSc in Biology and MSc in Genetics and Plant Breeding at the University of Lavras (UFLA, Brazil). During that time, I worked with molecular genetics focusing on identification of QTL for disease resistance in common bean. I completed PhD in Genetic and Plant Breeding at the University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP, Brazil) and that time I studied statistical models in genomic selection considering allele dosage for autotetraploid species, with applications in Panicum maximum. Furthermore, I worked with linkage and QTL mapping in polyploids (tropical forage grasses and sugarcane). 

I am specifically interested in:

  • Plant, insect, and animal breeding                           
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Genomic selection
  • Linkage and QTL mapping
  • Bioinformatics
  • Long-term sustainability of breeding programmes                
  • Data analysis

Programming language and software:

  • R and little bit C
  • Bash shell scripting
  • LaTeX and RMarkdown
  • Git version control system (GitHub, GitLab)          
  • GenStat, ASReml-R
  • AlphaSimR, AlphaMate, AlphaBayes
  • BLUPF90
  • MS Office
  • Experience with various server and cluster environments
  • Experience with various OS (Linux and macOS distributions)

Hobbies and personal interests

  • Dance (all kinds of dance but specially Forró, Salsa, and Samba)
  • Yoga
  • Reading
  • Netflix series