Wellison Diniz

EDUCATION

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

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 2021 – Present | Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
• 2020 – 2021| Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

HONORS & AWARDS

2022 | USDA-NIFA-AFRI Young and Emerging Invited Speaker. 12th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• 2020 – Present | American Society of Animal Science – ASAS
• 2022 – Present | International Society of Animal Science – ISAG

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

• Diniz WJS, Ward AK, Du M. Editorial: Genomic basis of developmental programming in livestock: insights into nutrition, health, and production. Frontiers in Genetics. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.861740
• Crouse MS, Caton JS, Claycombe-Larson KJ, Diniz WJS, et al. (2022). Epigenetic modifier supplementation improves mitochondrial respiration and growth rates and alters DNA methylation of bovine embryonic fibroblast cells cultured in divergent energy supply. Frontiers in Genetics. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.812764.
• Diniz WJS, Reynolds LP, Ward AK, Borowicz PP, et al. (2022). Untangling the placentome gene network of beef heifers in early gestation. Genomics. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110274.
• Diniz WJS, Bobe G, Klopfenstein JJ, et al. (2021) Supranutritional maternal organic selenium supplementation during different trimesters of pregnancy affects the muscle gene transcriptome of newborn beef calves in a time-dependent manner. Genes. DOI: 12(12):1884. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12121884.
• Diniz WJS, Reynolds LP, Borowicz PP, Ward AK, et al. (2021). Maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation and rate of gain affects placental expression of energy metabolism and transport-related genes. Genes. DOI: 10.3390/genes12030385.
• Diniz WJS, Crouse MS, Cushman RA, et al. (2021). Multi-tissue regulatory network uncovers maternal nutrition effects in developmental programming of beef cattle. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82156-w.
• Cardoso TF, Coutinho LL, Bruscadin JJ, Diniz WJS, et al. (2021). Multi-omics approach reveals miR-SNPs affecting muscle fatty acids profile in Nelore cattle. Genes. DOI: 10.3390/genes12010067.
• Diniz WJS, Banerjee P, Mazzoni G, et al. (2020). Interplay among miR-29 family, mineral metabolism, and gene regulation in Nelore muscle. Molecular Genetics and Genomics. DOI: 10.1007/s00438-020-01683-9.
• De Souza MM, Zerlotini A, […], Diniz WJS, et al. (2020). Allele-specific expression is widespread in Bos indicus muscle and affects meat quality candidate genes. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67089-0.
• Afonso J, Fortes MSR, Reverter A, Diniz WJS, et al. (2020). Genetic regulators of mineral amount in Nelore cattle muscle predicted by a new co-expression and regulatory impact factor approach. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65454-7.
• Carmelo VA, Banerjee P, Diniz WJS, et al. (2020). Metabolomic networks and pathways associated with feed efficiency and related-traits in Duroc and Landrace pigs. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57182-4.
• Lima AO, Koltes JE, Diniz WJS, et al. (2020). Potential biomarkers for feed efficiency-related traits in Nelore cattle identified by co-expression network and integrative genomics analyses. Frontiers in Genetics. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00189.
• Diniz WJS, da Rosa KO, Tizioto PC, Mourão GB, de Oliveira PSN, Regitano LCA. (2019). FABP1 and SLC2A5 expression levels affect feed efficiency-related traits. AgriGene. DOI: 10.1016/j.aggene.2019.100100.
• Diniz WJS, Banerjee P, Regitano LCA. (2019). Cross talk between mineral metabolism and meat quality: a systems biology overview. Physiological Genomics. DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00072.2019.
• Diniz WJS, Mazzoni G, Coutinho LL, et al. (2019). Detection of co-expressed pathway modules associated with mineral concentration and meat quality in Nelore cattle. Frontiers in Genetics. DOI: 10.3389/fgene. 2019.00210.
• De Oliveira PSN, Coutinho LL, […] Diniz WJS, et al. (2019). Co-expression networks reveal potential regulatory roles of miRNAs in fatty acid composition of Nelore cattle. Frontiers in Genetics. 2019. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00651.
• Afonso J, Coutinho LL, […], Diniz WJS, et al. (2019). Muscle transcriptome analysis reveals genes and metabolic pathways related to mineral concentration in Bos indicus. Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49089-x.