Who is Your Cat?
Have you ever wondered what makes your cat specifically "cat like"? How much of your cat's DNA is like yours? We find out from Dr. Leslie Lyons, a specialist in feline genetics. She explains how cat DNA works and what all we have learned from cats, including inherited diseases, traits and population dynamics, and genetic testing. It is fascinating how much we know and even what is still a mystery about our amazing feline friends!
BIO:
Dr. Leslie Lyons was trained in human genetics and her postdoctoral fellowship focused on developing genetic resources for comparative gene mapping across mammalian species. Her research is currently primarily focused on heritable diseases and traits and the population dynamics of the domestic cat. Specific diseases remain of high priority, including polycystic kidney disease (PKD), skin abnormalities, structural defects, and heritable blindness. An expectation of the research is to develop drug and gene therapies and translational efforts, for one or more of these abnormalities to better develop the cat as an animal model for human disease. Dr. Lyons has also supported the community by providing DNA studies for the first cloned domestic cat, wildcat, and Sand Cat, and the GFP transgenic cat. Her laboratory has identified over 30 mutations in 21 genes including many diseases (10), several coat colors (9), several fur types (5), and cat AB / B blood type (2). Dr. Lyons recently launched the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Initiative – an effort to have deep coverage sequencing of cats with inherited diseases and as a SNP resource for the community. Dr. Lyons has 3 patents and over 121 peer-reviewed publications, including several in forensic journals. One recent work demonstrated Precision Medicine in domestic cats. Her work on cat population genetics was developed into a National Geographic Explorer episode “The Science of Cats” and she has worked with the BBC on several cat television productions.