Information on the new beef projects:
- Sire-based Feeder Profit Index for Beef on Dairy production and marketing systems, 2024-2027, PI Basarab (Sustainable CAP administered by RDAR)
- Using genomics to improve the profitability and sustainability of Alberta’s beef industry, 2024-2027, PI Basarab, co-PI Plastow (Sustainable CAP administered by RDAR)
- Evaluation of reduced enteric methane emissions in beef cattle using a novel vaccine at a research farm in Alberta, 2025-2028, PI ArkeaBio Inc., University of Alberta lead Basarab (Emission Reduction Alberta)
- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Canadian Beef Industry through the Development and Adoption of Genomic Tools, 2024-2029, PI Basarab (NSERC SSHRC)
For updates on the Gentec team, we are pleased to welcome Jordan Roberts as project manager. Jordan joined us in October. His role will support the coordination and execution of our beef genomics research and adoption projects. Jordan has an MSc in Biological Sciences specializing in animal physiology from the University of Calgary. He has spent his career in research and development in the agriculture and agri-food sector and held roles with industry, government and academia. Jordan looks forward to doing his part to supporting development and adoption of genomic tools in livestock!
We are also pleased to welcome back Everestus Akanno into a full-time role as senior research associate from January 2025. Everestus will be focusing on conducting research for our NSERC-SSHRC project: “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Canadian Beef Industry through the Development and Adoption of Genomic Tools”.
Congratulations to Gentec alumna Kristin Lee on obtaining her PhD from the University of Guelph in September. Her thesis, titled “Python Based Genetic Evaluation System for the Improvement of Multi-Breed and Crossbred Beef Cattle”, was co-supervised by Professor Angela Canovas and Professor Flavio Schenkel. The project was supported by AgSights, who contributed both funding and valuable industry knowledge. She is now working for Gentec’s partner Genesus Genetics Technologies Inc. in the role of geneticist, where she focuses on optimizing their genomic evaluation software and overseeing genetic improvement programs in nucleus farms.
One of the longest serving members of Gentec, Prof. Leluo Guan, continues from strength to strength following her move to University of British Columbia where she continues her world leading research program to study rumen microbiome and its roles in cattle production. Recent new grant funding includes “Novel and adaptive rumen microbiome targeted solutions for GHG mitigation in cattle” as results of long -term collaborations among Gentec (University of Alberta), University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, and AAFC. This project is funded through NSERC Alliance through “NSERC-SSHRC Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative (SARI)”.