Chair
Peter Dovc
University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Term of service (2nd, 2021-2025)

Peter Dovc studied animal science at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and received a PhD in animal genetics from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. After postdoctoral positions at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany, he joined the newly established Gendiagnosezentrum in Grub, Munich, Germany. In 1994–1995 he was a visiting scientist at the Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis. Since 1995 Dovc has been a professor of genetics, animal breeding, animal biotechnology, and molecular biology at the University of Ljubljana. At the Department of Animal Science, Dovc leads a research group in the field of comparative genomics and genome biodiversity. His research interests are regulation of gene expression in the mammary gland, identification of candidate genes for complex traits, and population genetics. From 2005 to 2010 he was the president of the Scientific Council of Slovenian Science Agency (ARRS). Dovc is currently the president of the Genetic Society of Slovenia. He is a member of the editorial boards of several international journals in the field of animal genetics. Dovc received the Sigismund Zois National Research Award (2007), the University of Ljubljana Award for Teaching (2018), and the Fran Jesenko Lifetime Achievement Award (2019).

Co-Chair
Jiansheng Qiu
Neogen Genomics
Lincoln, NE United States

Term of service (2nd, 2021-2025)

Jiansheng Qiu received a PhD in quantitative genetics and completed postdoctoral research in molecular biology at Auburn University, where he was later hired as a research fellow and a graduate faculty member. He was a senior scientist at LI-COR Biosciences for three years before he joined GeneSeek as director of genomic services in 2001. He currently is the director of quality systems at Neogen Genomics, USA. Qiu has 30 years of research experience in molecular marker development and assay designs in various species specially cattle. He is currently the chair of the ISAG Cattle Molecular Marker and Parentage Testing Committee and a member of the ISAG Applied Genetics of Companion Animals Committee. He is also a member of the ICAR DNA working group and a member of the Life Sciences Advisory Committee of the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation. Qiu has substantial knowledge and experience in managing quality control and quality assurance per ISO17025 and CLIA guidelines.

Member
Hubert Bauer
LABOKLIN
Bad Kissingen, Germany

Term of service (1st, 2019-2023)

2009 Graduate in Biology (Diplom-Biologe) Julius-Maximilian Universität Würzburg

2014 Scientific assistance Julius-Maximilian Universität Würzburg

2014-Present Molecular biology department LABOKLIN

Main species: dog, horse, and cat

Fields: parentage, forensics, and genetic diversity

Member
Nuket Bilgen
Ankara University
Ankara, Turkey

Term of service (2nd, 2021-2025)

Nüket Bilgen has always been fascinated by life, nature, plants, animals, how they evolved, and their continued existence. Bilgen started following science magazines in middle school and read inspiring discoveries and findings. She always imagined herself working as a scientist in a white coat. Through that imagination, when Bilgen was studying veterinary medicine at Ankara University, she took initiatives that she could use in her academic development; she used the Erasmus program to study and seed future collaborations at Hannover Veterinary University. Bilgen started her PhD at Ankara University, Institute of Health Sciences on Animal Genetics. During her PhD, she joined research projects and applied for grants. Bilgen enjoyed working in the wet lab and teaching students. She attended congress and symposiums on animal genetics. At one of the most important congresses, the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG), Bilgen became a standing committee member of Companion Animal Genetic and Genomics and Applied Genetics in Companion Animals. She started working with Leslie Lyons. Close to the end of her PhD, she applied for scholar and went to Royal Veterinary College, where she studied under the supervision of Dirk Werling. After returning, Bilgen completed her PhD dissertation under the supervision of Okan Ertugrul. She continued working as a research assistant at Ankara University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. In 2018, Bilgen become an assistant professor in her department. She led and completed a project for finding the causative mutation for Radial Hemimelia phenotype in cats and become a member of the Feline 99 Genome Consortium.

Member
Robert Grahn
University of California-Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
Davis, CA United States

Term of service (1st, 2019-2023)

Dr. Grahn received his bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of California, Davis. He completed his doctoral training in biology from the University of Idaho, Moscow, where he studied the molecular systematics of South American rodents using retrotransposable elements. After the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Grahn returned to UC Davis and spent 14 years investigating inherited genetic diseases and expanding available forensic resources for domestic cats with Dr. Leslie Lyons. In 2013, Dr. Grahn joined the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory in order to expand the portfolio of available genetic tests in domesticated mammalian species. In 2019, he was appointed as the Associate Director of Service and Test Development at the VGL, managing the commercial testing units while continuing to actively participate in research of inherited genetic diseases across domesticated species. Additionally, as either a forensic analyst or technical reviewer, Dr. Grahn has participated in over 200 criminal cases involving domestic animals and was recently appointed as the Associate Director of the VGL Forensics Unit.

Member
George Sofronidis
Orivet Genetic Pet Care
St. Kilda, Australia

Term of service (1st, 2019-2023)

George Sofronidis is the co-founder and managing director of Orivet Genetic Pet Care. From humble beginnings in human forensic genetics, a path of “who dunnit” led him to an interest in sperm competition, cross fostering, and their role in animal conservation. Grants and research in genetics proved a great stepping stone to a commercial career in how genetics can help companion animal breeders with breeding solutions. In 2011, he developed and utilized a unique canine SNP panel for pedigree verification. He believes in technology, innovation, and four-legged CEOs.

Member
Leanne Van De Goor
VHLGenetics
Wageningen, Netherlands

Term of service (2nd, 2021-2025)

Leanne van de Goor was educated in animal breeding and genetics at the Universities of Wageningen and Utrecht. During the last 20 years of experience in animal genetics and working in a service laboratory, she contributed to standardization and developments in parentage control, as well as identification and testing of genetic diseases of several species while using appropriate genotyping platforms for STR and SNP detection under high quality control standards.

Ex Officio
Leslie Lyons
University of Missouri - Columbia, College of Veterinary Medicine
Columbia, MO United States

Term of service (Ex Officio)

Gilbreath-McLorn Endowed Professor of Comparative Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri

Educated in human genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, Lyons’ career has focused on the genetics of domestic cats. Her laboratory studies include inherited disease and population dynamics of cats. She introduced the domestic cat to ISAG for inclusion in the comparison testing and genomics workshops.