Genetics and Genomics

I am interested in what large datasets tell us about biological function, and how we can correlate patterns in big data with phenotypes of interest in farm animal health, disease and productivity.

Understanding the genetic control of complex traits, including responses to infectious disease, in farmed animals, primarily pigs and cattle.

Characterization of the genomes of Suina species, including domestic pigs (Sus scrofa), Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus), Bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus) and Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu).

Translational genomics in critical care medicine.

Animal breeding, genomics and computational biology.

I currently have a broad portfolio of interests including the epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease and bovine tuberculosis and using molecular tools to understand transmission and spread at different scales in LMICs.  

To date my main research interest has been in mixed (or multilevel) models. These involve identifying and accounting for sources of variation and correlation structures in the data and offer potential advantages over conventional modelling methods including: improved efficiency, more appropriate variances and correlations, wider inference and offer the potential to overcome problems caused by missing data.

At The Roslin Institute my research will involve providing the statistical contribution to collaborative scientific research using a range of methods and developing novel statistical approaches to particular problems arising where appropriate. I expect to develop my research in mixed models further in addressing applications arising within the Institute.

My main research interests focus on transcriptomics and genomics in livestock in both production animals and indigenous African breeds. I am particularly interested in functional annotation and the transcriptional control of complex traits.

• Livestock comparative genomics, functional genomics and metagenomics.
• Tropical livestock adaptation, resilience and productivity
• Tropical agriculture and sustainable development

The Doeschl-Wilson group investigates how the genetics of individuals affects the spread of infectious disease, both within an animal and between animals. We are an interdisciplinary group of scientists aiming to effectively combine field and laboratory experiments with mathematical modelling and quantitative genetics theory, with the ultimate aim to improve livestock health and resilience.  

Using the genetics and physiology of avian reproduction allows us to develop strategies utilising traditional or marker assisted selection to tackle problems as diverse as osteoporosis in laying hens, growth and reproduction in meat type birds, antimicrobial activity of egg white and shell quality in laying hens.

I lead the HighlanderLab, which focuses on managing and improving populations using data science, genetics, and breeding.

We focus on populations used for food, feed, and fibre production with some spillover into other populations.

 We are particularly interested in:

(i) methods for genetics and breeding,

(ii) design and optimisation of breeding programmes, and

(iii) analysis of data to unravel biology and to find new ways of improving populations.

Leverage Big Genomic Data through novel computational and bionformatics approaches to dissect genetically complex traits to improve efficiency and robustness of farmed animal species  

The development of simple-to-use systems for handling and reformatting data for genetic analyses.

My main interest is to understand responses to pathogens in aquaculture species. I use functional genomics to understand differences in resistance / susceptibility and learn about the genomic mechanisms underpinning successful immune responses. The final goal  is to exploit this knowledge to produce disease resistant animals through genome editing and genomic selection.

My research involves the whole range of genetic and genomic technologies, including genome assemblies and other genomic tools, animal breeding methods, functional genomics or genome editing.

To learn more about the research of the aquaculture genetics group at the Roslin Institute, please visit https://www.ed.ac.uk/roslin/aquaculture

Genetic, genomic, and phenotyping approaches to studying the biological mechanisms that underlie canine morphology and disease.

Genomics of Avian Viral Infections

Understanding how genetic variation influences normal and pathological variation in humans.

Application of population and quantitative genetic approaches to dissect the genetic basis of phenotypic traits in domesticated animal species and to analyze the processes of domestication and breed development.  

• Veterinary clinical orthopaedics
• Veterinary surgical education
• The epidemiology of health aging in dog populations
• The genetic basis and functional aspects of osteoarthritis.

• The relationship between renal handling of salt in early diabetes mellitus and regulation of blood pressure
• Molecular mechanisms in canine myxomatous mitral valve disease
• Inheritance and genetics of cardiac accessory pathways in UK Labrador retrievers
• Endothelial dysfunction in dogs in naturally occurring risk factors for metabolic syndrome

The use of quantitative statistical and epidemiological methods to address questions of animal/human health and disease surveillance.

Temporal and individual variation in worm egg counts within a population.

The epidemiology of Border Disease 

Zoonotic disease in cattle in Cameroon

Monitoring of farm animal health including the links between nutrition, health and productivity in cattle and sheep.