Research Staff

Dr Roslyn Bathgate

Applied reproduction, semen and embryo preservation, artificial insemination, embryo transfer, sperm sexing, in vitro fertilisation and embryo culture.
Selected Publications Bathgate R, Morton KM, Eriksson BM, Rath D, Seig B, Maxwell WMC, Evans G. (2006) Non-surgical deep intra-uterine transfer of in vitro produced porcine embryos derived from sex-sorted frozen-thawed boar sperm Animal Reproduction Science In press

Bathgate R, Maxwell WMC, Evans G. (2006) Effects of platelet-activating factor and platelet-activating factor:acetylhydrolase on in vitro post-thaw boar sperm parameters Theriogenology In press

Bathgate R, Eriksson BM, Maxwell WMC, Evans G. (2005). Studies on the effect of supplementing boar semen cryopreservation media with different avian egg yolk types on the in vitro post-thaw sperm quality. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 41: 68-73

Eriksson BM, Bathgate R, Maxwell WMC, Evans G. (2004). Developing techniques for pig AI. Proceedings of the Australian Association of Pig Veterinarians - Canberra Conference p61-69

Lu DP, Li Y, Bathgate R, Day M, O'Neill C. (2003). Ligand activated signal transduction in the 2-cell mouse embryo. Biology of Reproduction 69(1): 106-116

Emerson M, Travis A, Bathgate R, Stojanov T, Cook DI, Harding E, Lu DP, O'Neill C. (2000). Characterisation and functional significance of calcium transients in the 2-cell mouse embryo induced by an autocrine growth factor. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 275(29): 21905-21913

Dr Katherine Belov

Kathy Belov is a University of Sydney Postdoctoral Fellow. She did her BSc and PhD in the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University and then spent 3 years at the Australian Museum in the Evolutionary Biology Unit. Kathy works on the genetics of the immune system of our native species and is enjoying being part of the marsupial and monotreme genome projects that are currently in progress. Her research group, the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, are currently working on immune genes in the tammar wallaby, platypus, koala and Tasmanian devil, as well as the grey short-tailed opossum from South America.

Kathy organizes the monthly Wildlife Genetics and Disease Group meetings which are attended by researchers from all over Sydney and is organizing the Faculty of Veterinary Science Seminar series in 2006.

Research interest:
Marsupial and monotreme genomics

Immunogenetics

Evolution of the immune system

MHC diversity and conservation

Evolutionary genetics


Recent paper:
Reconstructing an Ancestral Mammalian Immune Supercomplex from a Marsupial Major Histocompatibility Complex
Katherine Belov, Janine E. Deakin, Anthony T. Papenfuss, Michelle L. Baker, Sandra D. Melman, Hannah V. Siddle, Nicolas Gouin, David L. Goode, Tobias J. Sargeant, Mark D. Robinson, Matthew J. Wakefield, Shaun Mahony, Joseph G. R. Cross, Panayiotis V. Benos, Paul B. Samollow, Terence P. Speed, Jennifer A. Marshall Graves, Robert D. Miller PLoS Biol 4(3): e46

Dr Pietro Celi

Research interest:
1. endocrinology and neuroendocrinology of nutrition-reproduction interactions;
2. the effect of environmental and physiological factors on the oxidative status in dairy ruminants;
3. the role of leptin in the regulation of mammary gland physiology in dairy goats and neonatal physiology in kids;
4. the endocrine, environmental and metabolic factors that regulate hair follicle activity, fibre growth and its shedding in cashmere goats;

Contribution to the Profession and the Community:
Member of the Australian Society of Animal Production.

Selected publications:

1. Celi, P., Blache, D., Blackberry, M.A., Martin, G.B. 2006. Intracerebroventricular infusion of leptin into mature Merino rams of different metabolic status: effects on blood concentrations of glucose and reproductive and metabolic hormones. Reprod. Dom. Anim. 41 (1), 79-90.
2. Celi R., Di Trana A., Celi P., Marsico, G., Forcelli M. 2005. The influence of pregnancy and the beginning of lactation on pelage traits in cashmere goats. It. J. Anim. Sci. 4: 85-96.
3. Di Trana A., Celi P., Sepe L., Desantis S., Rubino R. 2004. Fleece and skin traits of goats of different genetic types reared in southern Italy. South African J. Anim. Sci., 34 (Suppl. 1): 156-158.
4. Celi P., Martin G.B., Blache D., Vercoe P.E., Blackberry M., Tellam R.L. 2003. Effect of food deprivation on blood concentration of metabolic hormones in Merino rams: the role of leptin. Vet. Res. Comm. 27 (Suppl. 1): 219-220.
5. Celi P., Seren E., Celi R., Parmeggiani A., Di Trana A. 2003. Relationships between blood hormonal concentrations and secondary fibre shedding in young cashmere bearing goats at their first moult. Animal Science 77 (3): 371-381.
6. Celi R., Di Trana A., Celi P. 2002. The influence of lactation on the quantity and quality of cashmere production. It. J. Anim. Sci. 1: 79-86.
7. Blache D., Celi P., Blackberry M.A., Dynes R.A, Martin G.B. 2000. Decrease in voluntary feed intake and pulsatile LH secretion after intracerebroventricular infusion of recombinant bovine leptin in mature male sheep. Reprod. Fert. Develp. 12 (7-8): 373-381.
8. Celi, R., Di Trana, A., Celi, P. 1996. Metabolic profiles in the goat at delivery and in the kid at birth. World Review of Animal Production, 30 (3-4): 68-73.

Dr Simon de Graaf

TBA

Dr Natasha Ellis

After completing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree at Sydney University, Natasha started her PhD in equine genetics. She successfully characterised the equine angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, a candidate gene for performance in racehorses. The gene was screened for polymorphisms and an association study performed, showing a relationship between expression of the gene and identified haplotypes. Natasha then worked as a post doctoral researcher in vascular biology at the ANZAC Research Institute at Concord Repatriation General Hospital for 2 years. She has now returned to the Camden campus and is working on the identification of ovine genes responsible for resistance and susceptibility to the internal parasites Haemonchus contortus (Barber's pole worm) and Fasciola gigantica (Liver Fluke). Resistance of these worms to drenches is making these parasites harder to control and efforts are now focusing on breeding sheep that carry a natural resistance to these parasites.

Research Interests
Natasha is interested in molecular genetics of companion and production animals. Her particular interest is in the genetics of health and performance in racehorses.

Dr Jaime Gongora

Molecular genetics, Animal genetics, Evolution, Phylogenetics, Immunogenetics, Virology and Wildlife genetics.


Research areas of interest include:

Evolutionary phylogeography, population genetic and immunogenetic aspects of peccaries from the Americas and suids (pigs and hogs) from Africa, Asia and Europe.
Distribution of endogenous retroviruses in vertebrates.
Genetic diversity and immunogenetics of crocodilians.
Phylogeography and population genetics of the platypus.
Origins and genetic diversity of chickens from Island South East Asia and the Americas

Selected Publications
Gongora J, Rawlence NJ, Mobegi VA, Jianlin H, Alcalde JA, Matus JT, Hanotte O, Moran C, Austin JJ, Ulm S, Anderson AJ, Larson G, Cooper A. (2008) Indo-European and Asian origins for Chilean and Pacific chickens revealed by mtDNA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 105: 10308-13
Gongora, J., Taber, A., Keuroghlian, A., Altrichter, M., Bodmer, R.E., Mayor, P., Moran, C., Damayanti, C.S., González S. (2007) Re-examining the evidence for a ‘new’ peccary species, ‘Pecari maximus’, from the Brazilian Amazon. Newsletter of the Pigs, Peccaries, and Hippos Specialist Group of the IUCN/SSC. 7 (2): 19-26.
Gongora, J., Morales, S., Bernal, J.E., Moran, C. (2006) Phylogenetic divisions among Collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) detected using mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 41: 1-11.

Dr Chris Grupen

Dr. Grupen joined the Centre in 2006 bringing with him over 13 years research experience in reproductive biotechnology.

As a Research Scientist at BresaGen Limited he was responsible for the development of oocyte (egg) in vitro maturation and fertilization systems in the pig and was part of the team that successfully produced the first pigs cloned in Australia.

In 2002, he completed studies for a Ph.D. in which the cellular signals that initiate embryo development were investigated. Dr. Grupen’s research interests are focussed on the cellular events taking place during the final stages of egg maturation and how these relate to differences in egg quality between adult and juvenile donors.

Selected Publications
C.G. Grupen, M. Fung and D.T. Armstrong (2006) Effects of Milrinone and Butyrolactone-I on Porcine Oocyte Meiotic Progression and Developmental Competence, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 18:309-317.

S. Harrison, A. Boquest, C. Grupen, R. Faast, A. Guildolin, C. Giannakis, L. Crocker, S. McIlfatrick, R. Ashman, J. Wengle, I. Lyons, P. Tolstoshev, P. Cowan, A. Robins, P. O’Connell, A. d'Apice and M. Nottle (2004) An Efficient Method For Producing α(1,3)-Galactosyltransferase Gene Knockout Pigs, Cloning and Stem Cells, 6(4):327-331.

C.G. Grupen, S.M. McIlfatrick, R.J. Ashman, A.C. Boquest, D.T. Armstrong and M.B. Nottle (2003) Relationship Between Donor Animal Age, Follicular Fluid Steroid Content and Oocyte Developmental Competence in the Pig, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 15:81-87.

C.G. Grupen, M.B. Nottle and H. Nagashima (2002) Calcium Release at Fertilization: Artificially Mimicking the Oocyte's Response to Sperm, Journal of Reproduction and Development, 48:313-333.

C.G. Grupen, J.C. Mau, S.M. McIlfatrick, S. Maddocks and M.B. Nottle (2002) Effect of 6-Dimethylaminopurine on Electrically Activated In Vitro Matured Porcine Oocytes, Molecular Reproduction and Development, 63:387-396.

A.C. Boquest, C.G. Grupen, S.J. Harrison, S.M. McIlfatrick, R.J. Ashman and M.B. Nottle (2002) Production of Cloned Pigs from Cultured Fetal Fibroblast Cells, Biology of Reproduction, 66:1283-1287.

C.G. Grupen, P.J. Verma, Z.T. Du, S.M. McIlfatrick, R.J. Ashman and M.B. Nottle (1999) Activation of In Vivo- and In Vitro-Derived Porcine Oocytes Using Multiple Electrical Pulses, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 11:457-462.

C.G. Grupen, H. Nagashima and M.B. Nottle (1997) Asynchronous Meiotic Progression in Porcine Oocytes Matured in Vitro: A Cause of Polyspermic Fertilization?, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 9:187-191.

C.G. Grupen, H. Nagashima and M.B. Nottle (1995) Cysteamine Enhances In Vitro Development of In Vitro Matured and Fertilized Porcine Oocytes, Biology of Reproduction, 54:173-178.

H. Nagashima, N. Kashiwazaki, R.J. Ashman, C.G. Grupen and M.B. Nottle (1995) Cryopreservation of Porcine Embryos, Nature, 374:416.

These studies will help to increase the efficiencies of embryo in vitro production systems and ultimately enhance the rate of genetic gain using advanced breeding technologies.

Dr Matthew Hobbs

I studied at UNSW and have a B.Sc. (Hons) in Genetics and Ph.D. in molecular microbiology. I have held postdoctoral positions at University of Queensland and University of Sydney working on molecular genetics of bacterial surface antigens. Subsequently I have worked in the area of bioinformatics with ANGIS, Entigen Pty. Ltd. and BioLateral Pty. Ltd. Currently I am a Research Fellow in Bioinformatics within Reprogen and am involved with the Innovative Dairy Products CRC.

Dr Elizabeth Jonas

TBA

Dr Claire Kershaw-Young

TBA

Dr Mehar Khatkar

Research Interests
Integrated and quantitative genomics
Fine-mapping of QTL/genes in livestock
Linkage disequilibrium mapping
Whole Genome Selection

Selected recent publications:

Khatkar, M.S., Frank W Nicholas, Andrew R Collins, Kyall R Zenger, Julie A L Cavanagh, Wes Barris, Robert D Schnabel, Jeremy F Taylor and Herman W Raadsma 2008 Extent of genome-wide linkage disequilibrium in Australian Holstein-Friesian cattle based on a high-density SNP panel. BMC Genomics, 9:170.

Raadsma H.W., G. Moser, R. Crump, M.S. Khatkar, K.R., Zenger, J.A.L. Cavanagh, R.J. Hawken, M. Hobbs, W. Barris, J. Solkner, F.W.Nicholas, B.Tier. 2008. Predicting Genetic Merit for Mastitis and Fertility in Dairy Cattle using Genome Wide Selection and High Density SNP Screens. Proc. Anim. Genomics for Anim. Health. Symp. Paris.Oct. 2007, Developments in Biologicals (Karger, Basel), Vol 132.(in press)

Khatkar, M. S., K. R. Zenger, M. Hobbs, R. J. Hawken, J. A. L. Cavanagh, W. Barris, A. E. McClintock, S. McClintock, P. C. Thomson, B. Tier, F. W. Nicholas and H. W. Raadsma . 2007. A primary assembly of a bovine haplotype block map based on a 15,036 SNP panel genotyped in Holstein-Friesian cattle. Genetics 176: 763–772.

Liao, W., Collins, A., Hobbs, M., Khatkar, M.S., Luo, J., and Nicholas, F.W. 2007. A comparative location database (CompLDB): map integration within and between species. Mamm Genome 18: 287-299.

Zenger, K.R., M.S. Khatkar, J.A.L. Cavanagh, R.J. Hawken and H.W. Raadsma. 2007. Genome-wide genetic diversity of Holstein Friesian cattle reveals new insights into Australian and global population variability including impact of selection. Animal Genetics 38 (1), 7–14.

Khatkar, M.S., A. Collins, J.A.L. Cavanagh, R. J. Hawken, M. Hobbs, K.R. Zenger, W. Barris, A.E. McClintock, P.C. Thomson, F.W. Nicholas and H.W. Raadsma. 2006. A first generation metric linkage disequilibrium map of bovine chromosome 6. Genetics 174 (1): 79-85.

Khatkar, M. S., P.C. Thomson, I. Tammen, J.A.L. Cavanagh, F. W. Nicholas and H.W. Raadsma. 2006. Linkage disequilibrium on chromosome 6 in Australian Holstein-Friesian cattle. Genet Sel Evol 38: 463-477.

Hawken, R.J., J.A.L Cavanagh, J.R. Meadows, M.S. Khatkar, Y. Husaini, K.R. Zenger, S. McClintock, A.E. McClintock and H.W. Raadsma. 2006. Technical note: Whole-genome amplification of DNA extracted from cattle semen samples. J Dairy Sci 89: 2217-2221.

Khatkar, M.S., P.C. Thomson, I. Tammen and H.W. Raadsma. 2004. Quantitative trait loci mapping in dairy cattle: review and meta-analysis. Genet Sel Evol 36: 163-190.