Jerry B. Dodgson, Ph.D.

dodgson@msu.edu

Research

My research interests center on the development and use of genomics in agriculturally important species, principally chickens. Modern DNA-based techniques allow for the identification and use of a variety of polymorphic markers and thereby the development of high density genetic maps, along with clone-based physical maps and full genome sequences. These maps can then be used for tracing complex genetic traits important to agriculture (quantitative trait loci or QTL), isolation of genes via positional cloning, and characterization of genetic relationships. Our work has focused on the development of an international reference population for genetic mapping in chickens, comparative genome mapping between the chicken and human genome, and physical mapping of BAC contigs and map integration. Efforts by my lab along with several other labs world-wide recently led to the determination of the complete genome sequence of the chicken. (The bird whose genome was sequenced is shown above.) Since the chicken serves as the model avian species for genetic purposes, we have also applied the chicken map and sequence for genomics work in turkeys, zebrafinch and the California condor.  We are presently completing a high quality clone-based physical and comparative map of the turkey genome. The poultry genome project web site is at poultry.mph.msu.edu.

Other on-going efforts in the lab involve improving the technology available for the generation of transgenic poultry. This project is focused on the development of vectors and techniques for the use of RNA interference in chickens, in particular, its use in generating cells and animals resistant to avian viruses such as avian leukosis virus, Marek’s disease virus and others.