Animal production and improvement

The primary research focus of the group is underpinned by the theoretical tenets of population – and quantitative genetics and applies modern genomic technologies to address research questions on how various micro-evolutionary forces influence genome-wide patterns of genetic diversity and in turn influences phenotypic development in animal populations. The integrative investigation of genome function and population dynamics is at the core of a new hybrid discipline, population genomics, which creates a juncture between modern molecular bioscience and classical evolutionary biology; and is increasingly seen as a new

paradigm in a systems biology approach to understanding living systems. The research entails fundamental zoology, but is contextualised with applied relevance and impact as it relates to sustainable living resources utilisation, animal production and breeding, and conservation in marine biology, aquaculture and vermiculture. Current projects include investigating the genetic effects of domestication and the genetic mechanisms for growth and various fitness traits in abalone, sea urchins, various fish species and black soldier flies.

To achieve the overarching aims of the research questions, the group has the following milestone objectives for each of the species that is being investigated:

1. Develop genomic resources for the species
2. Understand the micro-evolutionary processes shaping wild populations
3. Investigate the effects of early domestication
4. Characterise traits of interest for genetic improvement and animal welfare

 MSc Candidates:

Main Supervisor

• Ms Lianne Dippenaar – Research Project – A genetic analysis of red tide susceptibility in South African abalone, Haliotis midae
• Mr Muktaar Badrodin – Research Project – Microbiome associations with smolting and growth in Atlantic Salmon.
• Ms Mieke Jansen van Rensburg – Research Project – Genetics Diversity and broodstock contribution in a commercial yellowtail population.
• Mr Andrew Carpenter-Frank – Research Project – Transcriptome Characterisation of the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens.
• Ms Mariek Roux (SU no. 22550682) (Main supervisor) – Research Project – Characterisation of repetitive elements in the dusky kob genome.
• Ms Stephanie J. Linder (SU no. 21615942) (Main Supervisor) – Research Project – Genetic diversity of heat tolerance genes and association with growth in Argyrosomus japonicus.