Wellison Diniz, Ph.D. - profile information
More information about Wellison Diniz, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor (Animal Genomics)
- Department of Animal Sciences
Short Bio
Dr. Diniz is an Assistant Professor of Livestock Genomics in the Department of Animal Science at Auburn University. He earned his B.S. in Animal Sciences from UFRPE â Brazil and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from UFSCar (São Paulo, BR).
His research focuses on understanding the regulatory mechanisms of complex traits in livestock, particularly the interactions between genetics and environment in beef cattle. By applying functional genomics, systems biology, and computational approaches, Dr. Diniz investigates how epigenetic modifications influence fetal development, fertility, and performance. His work aims to enhance sustainability and efficiency in animal agriculture by identifying molecular targets for genetic selection.
Dr. Diniz teaches undergraduate courses in animal breeding (ANSC3500) and graduate courses in Computational Biology (Genomics & Bioinformatics). He is an active member of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) and the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG).
More bio information
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, Brazil2015
B. S. Animal Sciences (husbandry) Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Garanhuns, Brazil2012
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)
Research
My research investigates the interactions between genetics and environment in livestock production, aiming to improve sustainability and efficiency by identifying molecular targets for animal selection. Environmental factors, such as climate, nutrition, and management, play a key role in shaping cattle productivity, especially through epigenetics. However, there is a critical need to uncover whether, how, and to what extent the offspring inherit these environment-induced epigenetic changes and the long-term consequences. To address this, we employ machine learning and genomic approaches to identify regulatory variants in the DNA and epigenetic modifications to determine how they modulate complex biology networks affecting growth, reproduction, and performance. Furthermore, we aim to elucidate patterns of epigenetic inheritance across generations. Together, this information will provide opportunities to understand the implications of climate change and husbandry decisions on long-term offspring genetic potential. These outcomes will support management strategies to enhance production efficiency and sustainability of the beef industry in the U.S. by delivering science-based knowledge to producers.
