Wellison Diniz

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Science with an emphasis in Genetics and Evolution – Center for Biological and Health Sciences (CCBS), Federal University of São Carlos, SP, Brazil (2019)
• Visiting Ph.D. Scholar – Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark – DTU, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark (2018)
• M.Sc. in Evolutionary Genetics and Molecular Biology – Center for Biological and Health Sciences (CCBS), Federal University of São Carlos, SP, Brazil (2015)
• B. S. Animal Sciences (husbandry) – Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Garanhuns, Brazil (2012)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Dr. Wellison Diniz is an Assistant Professor of Animal Genomics in the Department of Animal Science at Auburn University.

Dr. Diniz received his B.S. from UFRPE – Brazil and his M.S. and Ph.D. from UFSCar (São Paulo, BR). His research program addresses the regulatory mechanisms of complex traits through the lens of genomics. He is particularly interested in applying functional genomics and systems biology methods to gain insights into the genomic basis of fetal development and programming, fertility, and performance in beef cattle.

Dr. Diniz teaches animal breeding (ANSC3500) for undergraduate and special topics in genomics & bioinformatics for graduate classes.

He is a member of the American Society of Animal Sciences (ASAS) and the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG).
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (2021-present)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND (2020-2021)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• American Society of Animal Science – ASAS (2020-present)
• International Society of Animal Science – ISAG (2022-present)

HONORS & AWARDS

• USDA-NIFA-AFRI Young and Emerging Invited Speaker, 12th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine (2022)

Have you asked yourself why animals with similar genetic potential, managed under the same conditions, perform better than others? Why do heifers under the same developmental program get pregnant while others fail? How do nutrition and genetics play a role in animal development and performance?

To answer these and other questions, our research program lies in understanding the regulatory mechanisms of complex traits in livestock species through the lens of genomics. We are particularly interested in applying genomics, functional genomics, and systems biology methods to gain insights into the genomic basis of economically important traits. Based on these tools, we investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie beef cattle fertility, the role of nutrition in fetal programming, and the long-term effects on animal performance. Our long-term goal is to deliver molecular targets to improve animal selection and increase the efficiency and sustainability of cow-calf production systems.

Are you curious to know the answers to the above questions as well? Please contact me, and we can discuss the undergraduate or graduate research opportunities in our team.

ANSC 3500 — Animal Breeding

DR. DINIZ’S BIBLIOGRAPHY