Recipient Organization
UNIV OF CALIFORNIA (VET-MED)
(N/A)
DAVIS,CA 95616
Performing Department
Population Health & Reproduction
Non Technical Summary
The equine industry in the United States has a great economic impact on the country as a whole; estimated at $122 billion in 2017. Direct and indirect involvement in the equine industry results in the maintenance of 1.7 million jobs in the U.S., many within the agribusiness realm given the farm and ranch settings in which the species are bred, maintained, trained, and expected to perform. California houses one of the highest population of horses, second only to Texas. Due to selective inbreeding in many equine populations, there is a need strong need to identify new genetic variants associated with diseases of economic importance to these breeders and to provide genetic tests.Our project aims to produce genetic tools that can assist in discovering these genetic variants and developing genetic tests. We collaborate extensively with equine veterinarians to clearly classify genetic diseases and then decide upon the best way to interrogate the genome for possible mutations. Once we have arrived at a possible mutation, we further validate this in additional horses and using other animal models to be as confident as possible prior to test release. New genetic tests are discussed with the veterinary community and directly with owners of horses within the breeds of interest through conferences, webinars and direct consultations.The overall goal for this project is to enable researchers across the world to define diseases of interest in the horse that may have a genetic basis and identify possible genetic variants that could cause these diseases. Veterinarians and owners then will have the diagnostic tests that they need to make informed breeding decisions and diagnose horses that are showing clinical signs of these diseases. Overall, this will result in healthier horses, across breeds, and more informed owners and breeders.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
50%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The major goals of this project are to create genetic and genomic tools to share with the broader equine genetics and genomics community. We will then use these tools to identify the underlying causes for inherited diseases across various horse breeds. Currently, our laboratory is focused on these genetic diseases in horses: equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/ degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM), equine juvenile spinocerebellar ataxia (EJSCA), melanoma susceptibility in grey horses, occipitoatlantoaxial malformations, caudal cervical spine malformations, juvenile idiopathic epilepsy (JIE), Hemophilia A and renal dysplasia in Quarter horses. We have discovered genetic mutations for myosin heavy chain myopathy (MYHM) in Quarter horses, equine isolated familial hypoparathyroidism (EIFH) in Thoroughbreds and atypical equine thrombasthenia (AET) in Thoroughbreds.Specific objectives include:(1) Develop additional genetic tools to support investigation of equine diseases(2) Investigate inherited diseases in horses using genomic tools(3) Train undergraduate, graduate and veterinary students in the field of equine genetics and genomics(4) Extend collaborations with the international genetics and genomics community.
Project Methods
Formal presentations at annual conferences: evaluated from feedback from colleaguesLocal continuing education events (UC Davis Fall Festival, Northern California Association of Equine Practitioners)National conferences (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and American Association of Equine Practitioners)International conferences (Havemeyer Equine Genetics conference and Plant and Animal Genome Conference)Formal classroom instruction at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine: evaluated by formal course reviewsGraduate InstructionGGG296: Scientific Integrity and Professionalism (course leader; full quarter with 9 2-hour sessions )PMI201: Transcription and Translation (3 hrs lecture)Veterinary InstructionUC Davis VET404: 2-hour session on inherited neurologic diseasesTexas Tech University: 2 x 1-hour lectures on equine genetic diseasesResident InstructionOhio State University Large Animal Medical Diseases of the Nervous System - VCS 8844.04: 2 x 1-hour lecturesUniversity of Saskatchewan VLAC 875: 3-hour lecture on equine genetic diseasesOutreach to equine owners and veterinarians (evaluated by client feedback and requests for additional subscribers):Publication of a quarterly Horse Report through UC Davis (example: https://cehhorsereport.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/summer-2020-special-issue-geneticsWebinars for breed organizations