Genomic Application Partnership Program update

Published on Jan. 26, 2018

Genomic Application Partnership Program update

After receiving substantial funding from Genome Canada in the Spring of 2017, the turkey genomics selection project is in full gear with multiple papers already set to be presented at the World Conference on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP) 2018 in New Zealand.

The team

GAPP project team
Left to Right: Dr. Ben Wood, Dr. Emhimad Abdalla, Dr. Gabriele Marras, Dr. Alexandra Harlander, Dr. Christine Baes, Ryley Vanderhout, Dr. Francesca Malchiodi, Dr. Hakimeh Emamgholi Begli

A project is only as good as its team, and the above group has shown not just dedication and expertise, but also a spirit of innovation and discovery. Dr. Ben Wood, a Hendrix Genetics geneticist, is the project leader in collaboration with University of Guelph professor Dr. Christine Baes. 

Dr. Gabriele Marras, Dr. Hakimeh Emamgholi Begli and Dr. Emhimad Abdalla are three postdocs on the project team, all with different focuses. Some of their specialities include bioinformatics, reproduction, egg production, broodiness and the optimisation of single step GBLUP (Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction).

The team is also very fortunate to have renowned poultry behaviour specialist Dr. Alexandra Harlander, a member of the Animal Biological Sciences faculty at the University of Guelph. Within this project she is researching the phenotyping of both feeding and aggressive behaviour. 

No project can run without a dedicated project manager, Dr. Francesca Malchiodi has done an excellent job in this role. The team also includes postgraduate student Ryley Vanderhout, who is pursuing a Masters in Science under the supervision of Dr. Ben Wood.

Upcoming presentations

Hendrix Genetics is excited to be the platinum sponsor at the World Conference on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP) 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. We look forward to updating the greater scientific community on many exciting subjects, including products of the turkey genomics selection project. An example being Dr. Gabriele Marras, who will explain his research into causal models for feed efficiency. 

This research project is truly off to a great start, with a lot of practical applications appearing. We look forward to keeping all those interested updated, as we work towards unlocking the full potential of the turkey genome. 

To learn about all the exciting topics presented by Hendrix Genetics at WCGALP visit www.hendrix-genetics.com/en/wcgalp-2018/ 

WCGALP 11

Related articles

, by
Researchers uncover new turkey genome sequence

A recent study from the Wageningen University & Research and Hendrix Genetics (Hybrid Turkeys) has uncovered a new sequence of the turkey genome.

, by
Position Statement on Gene Editing

Gene editing* is a rapidly developing technology with many potential applications, including in animal genetics. Hendrix Genetics does not currently use any form of gene editing but has made investme…

, by
Hendrix Genetics Expands Global Presence with the Inauguration of its New Shrimp Breeding Multiplication Center in India

Visakhapatnam 28th September 2023 – Hendrix Genetics, global leader in multi-species breeding, genetics, and technology, is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new shrimp Breeding Multiplica…