Empower Your Research With Neogen Genomics

Neogen provides an extensive range of high-quality, cost effective genotyping and sequencing solutions and services for a wide range of species. Neogen have an extremely efficient state-of-the-art laboratory based in Europe, offering rapid turnaround times to empower your research-based decision making.

Neogen’s high quality array portfolio provides efficient testing to develop targeted predictions and research opportunities across a wide range of species. Neogen’s GGP chips combine outstanding design and evenly spaced coverage of the genome with SNP parentage marker and causative content. SNPs with optimal genome coverage, recombination rates and minor allele frequency representation have been selected for use within these arrays. Popular arrays include the GGP Bovine 100K array, the GGP Ovine 50K array, the GGP Equine 70K array and the GGP Porcine 50K array.

In addition to their genotyping services, Neogen is also a leader in the innovation of whole genome sequencing, offering the most detailed view into your genetic programme by evaluating every base in the genome and navigating the complexity of genomic variants that make individuals unique. 

Neogen also provides SkimSEEK™ low pass sequencing with imputation for select species (including bovine, porcine, canine and feline), in addition to a new technology called InfiniSEEK™. Combining Neogen’s world-class laboratory services with Gencove’s imputation pipelines and advanced analytics platform, InfiniSEEK™ delivers the necessary insights to confidently select superior individuals from bovine breeding populations and research objectives.

Can Neogen help with your research?

The Neogen team is ready to assist with any genotyping or sequencing research project, whether it’s current or in the planning stages. Simply email contactgenomics@neogen.com with your enquiry.

Daniel Gianola

Question to ChatGPT:

Please describe in a paragraph the career contributions and significance of the work of Daniel Gianola

Answer of ChatGPT:

Daniel Gianola is a highly influential quantitative geneticist whose work has had a lasting impact on animal breeding, statistical genetics, and modern genomics. He is best known for pioneering the application of Bayesian methods to quantitative genetics, helping to move the field beyond classical linear models toward flexible probabilistic frameworks capable of handling complex biological data. Gianola made foundational contributions to the theory and implementation of mixed models, nonlinear models, and hierarchical Bayesian approaches for genetic evaluation, including early and influential work on threshold models for categorical traits. As genomics emerged, his research helped integrate genomic information into prediction and selection, shaping methods now central to genomic selection in livestock and plant breeding. His publications are widely cited across genetics, statistics, and bioinformatics, reflecting both theoretical depth and practical relevance. Beyond his research, Gianola has played a major role in training generations of scientists and in bridging statistics with biology, making him one of the most internationally respected figures in quantitative and statistical genetics.

EDUCATION

1975    Ph.D.               Animal Breeding; minor in Statistics. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

1973/74                       Post-graduate study at Cornell University under Prof. C. R. Henderson  

1973    M.S.                 Dairy Science. University of Wisconsin-Madison.

1970    Ing. Agr.         Agronomy and Animal Production. Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay.

HONORARY DOCTORAL DEGREES

2012                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Iowa State University, USA

2010                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay

2010                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, University of Aarhus, Denmark

2009                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Facultad de Agronomia, Montevideo, Uruguay

2009                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, George August University Gottingen, Germany

2002                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

2025                Scientific Advisor, Molecular Breeding Project, UNESP-Campinas, Brasil

2024, 2025      Nobel Sustainability Award Preselection Committee, Nobel Sustainability Trust Fund, Sweden-Switzerland.

2022                Elected Member of the Academia Nacional de Agronomia y Veterinaria (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

2022                Honorary Researcher, ANCP, Ribeirao Preto, Brasil for “Brilliant service to the world’s livestock industry for developing statistical methodologies for genetic improvement”.

2020                Lifetime Achievement Award (together with William G. Hill and Bruce Weir). International Conference of Quantitative Genetics 6, Brisbane, Australia

2020                Elected Member of the Academia Nacional de Economia, Uruguay

2018                Jay L. Lush Visiting Professor, Iowa State University, Ames, United States

2017                Honorable Professor, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China

2017                Cariparo Visiting Professor, Universita (Galilean) degli Studi di Padova, Italy.

2017-               Mercator Professor (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; German Research Foundation), Technical University of Munich, Germany

2015                Hilldale Award in the Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

2015                Elected Academic of Accademia dei Georgofili (Academy of Agriculture), Florence, Italy.

2014                Member of Scientific Committee, Session organizer and Chairperson, 10^th World Congress of Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Vancouver, Canada.

2013                Elected member of the Academie Francaise d’Agriculture, Paris, France

2013-               Scientific Advisor, Center for Genomic Selection Applications, University of Aarhus, Denmark

2012-               Scientific Advisor, Synergistic Plant and Animal Breeding, German Research Foundation, Germany

2012                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Iowa State University, USA

2011                Hans Fischer Senior Fellow Award, Technische Universität München, Germany

2011-               International Scientific Advisory Board, Interbull, Sweden

2010                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay

2010                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, University of Aarhus, Denmark

2009                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, Facultad de Agronomia, Montevideo, Uruguay

2009                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa, George August University Gottingen, Germany

2009                Offered William S. Gosset Endowed Professorship, Ryals School of Public Health, University of Alabama-Birmingham (declined)

2009-               International Scientific Advisory Board, AVIAGEN, Newbridge, Scotland

2008, 2010      Chair d’Excellence Pierre de Fermat, Toulouse, France

2007                Alexander Von Humboldt Senior Research Award, Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung (Foundation), Bonn, Germany

2007                Chaire D’Excellence Pierre de Fermat, Region Midi-Pyrenees, Toulouse, France

2007                Sewall Wright Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

2006                Mercator Visiting Professor (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; German Research Foundation) at the University of Göttingen, Germany.

2006                Offered Jay. L. Lush Endowed Chair at Iowa State University (declined).

2005                Gamma Sigma Delta (Honor Society in Agriculture).

2003                International Advisory Board, Fundacion Zonamerica, Uruguay.

2002                Dr. Sc. Honoris Causa (Honorary Doctorate), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain.

2000 – 2001    “William F. Vilas Associate”, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Two years of summer salary support and flexible research funds in recognition for outstanding research.

1996-2000       Member of International Advisory Board of Genetics, Selection, Evolution, a scientific journal published by Elsevier and by INRA and CNRS, France.

1995                “R. Osborne Memorial Lecturer”, University of Edinburgh, Great Britain.

1995                Fellow, American Statistical Association, U.S.A., for: “Influential research in statistical methods for quantitative genetics; for pioneering work on Bayesian methods applied to animal breeding; and for excellence in international teaching of advanced statistical methods.” According to the American Statistical Association: “The designation of fellow is a singular honor and has for more than 75 years signified an individual’s outstanding professional contribution and leadership in the field of statistical science.”

1995                Scientific Award of Merit to Best 1994 Paper in Animal Breeding and Genetics, Internet Animal Genetics Discussion Group (co-author of “Bayesian Analysis of Genetic Change due to Selection using Gibbs Sampling”).  Genetics, Selection, Evolution 26:333-360.

1992                First “C.R. Henderson Memorial Lecturer in Statistics and Animal Breeding,” Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

1990                INRA Research Fellowship, Paris, France.

1989                Rockefeller Prentice Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Breeding and Genetics Research, American Society of Animal Science, U.S.A.

1989                J. L. Lush Award for Outstanding Research in Animal Breeding, American Dairy Science Association, U.S.A.

1987                University Scholar, University of Illinois, USA.  “Recognition of the very best of faculty scholarship at the University of Illinois”.

1987                Outstanding Young Researcher, American Society of Animal Science, Midwestern Section, U.S.A.

1984                Honorary President, ANCADI (Association pour l’analyse des caracteres discrets), Toulouse, France.

1983- 1989      Member of International Scientific Committee of Genetique, Selection, Evolution, France.

1983                H. H. Mitchell Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Research, Department of Animal Science, University of Illinois, U.S.A.

1981                New Zealand National Branch Advisory Council, Senior Research Fellowship (Declined).

1979                Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, U.S.A.

1971- 1972      Organization of American States Fellowship, U.S.A.

1970                Plan Agropecuario Fellowship, Uruguay.

POSITIONS HELD:

COUNTRY-BASED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PUBLICATIONS

Books

1. Gianola and K. Hammond (Eds.) 1990. Advances in Statistical Methods for Genetic Improvement of Livestock. 534 pp. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.
2. Gianola (Ed.). 1991.  Mejoramiento genetico animal en el Uruguay en visperas del Mercosur.  Serie Tecnica. No. 12, 71 pp. INIA, Uruguay
3. Sorensen and D. Gianola. 2002. Likelihood, Bayesian and MCMC methods in quantitative genetics. 740 pp. Springer, New York.

Bibliometry (Google Scholar)

~350 referereed papers

28062 citations. h-index: 85 (no. papers with h or more citations)

 Quantitative genetics and genomics:                       #1 in citations

 Genomic selection:                                       #1 in citations

 Animal breeding:                                                      #2 in citations

 Animal genetics:                                                      #4 in citations

 Prediction                                                     #10 in citations          

MENTOR TEACHING

Over 100 M. Sc., Ph.D. and post-doctoral students supervised.

December 2025

Eleni Tsiplakou

Eleni Tsiplakou is a Full Professor at the Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding in the Department of Animal Sciences and Aquaculture of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). She is teaching Ruminants Nutrition to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. In 2022, she also received the Italian Full Professor License by the Italian Higher Education System (ASN Universities). She is the Dean of the School of Animal Biosciences of the AUA. She is also the Director of the Inter-Departmental Postgraduate Program entitled “Integrated Management of Milk Production and Dairy Products,” co-organized by the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (2025-present). Eleni Tsiplakou received her BSc. (2005) and MSc. (2006) in Animal Sciences, followed by a Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition (2008) from the AUA. She conducted Post-Doctoral Research at Reading University (2009) and AUA (2010-2011) with a Fellowship from the State Scholarships Foundation of Greece (I.K.Y) which also supported her postgraduate studies (MSc and PhD) through two additional scholarships. Dr. Tsiplakou has received three scholarships from the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) to present papers at its Annual Conferences. Eleni Tsiplakou was the Vice-President of the Nutrition Commission of EAAP (2016-2019) while from 2010 to 2016 was Secretariat in the above Commission. Currently, she is also member of the Scientific Council of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (ETHEAS, 2023- onwards). 

She is also a member of the Committee for the Initiative to create a structure aiming to provide advisory support to Livestock farmers for obtaining associated animal production at low cost from ETHEAS- Livestock Cooperatives and Universities (2025-onwards). She served as President of the Organizing Committee for the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) workshop on “Insect Genetic Improvement, Implementation, Impact” at AUA in 2025, and of the seminar on “Meeting of Experts in Wielding Thematic Fields of Animal Science” with contributions from the Industry Sector and Suppliers of nutritional additives, at AUA in 2024. She was also a member of the National Organizing Committee for the 61st Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) in Crete (2010) and the 7th Hellenic Conference on Technology in Animal Production in Thessaloniki (2019). She was Chairperson in 10 International and 2 National Conferences and Invited Speaker in 1 International Scientific Conference of EAAP (2020). She is currently an Associate Editor in the Italian Journal of Animal Science, having previously served as a Section Editor (20/3/2017-05/02/2021). Additionally, she has acted as Guest Editor for Special Issues of Scientific Journals such as: Foods, Animals and Frontiers in Animal Science. Eleni Tsiplakou is also Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Dairy Research, SciTz Nutrition and Food Science Journals. 

To date, she has published over 140 Research Papers in peer-reviewed Scientific Journals, 6 Book Chapters, and over 165 Abstracts at National and International Scientific Conferences. Her current h-index is 31, according to the Scopus database (as of November 2025). She has coordinated 13 Research Projects and contributed to others 24, 6 of which funded by the EU. She has been External Evaluator in 17 International Research Projects and 19 for the Hellenic Foundation of Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.). She is an alternate member of the Appeals Committee for the evaluation of Research Proposals submitted within the framework of the 6th Action Announcement “Science and Society” entitled “Modern Nutritional Awareness” of the H.F.R.I., 2024. Additionally, she is Member of the Certified Experts Evaluators of the Hellenic Foundation of Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I) (2020- ). 

She served as a Visiting Professor, for two months, at the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Parma. She has also acted as an External Evaluator and/or a Member of the Examination Committee for 16 Ph.D. theses from International Universities. Additionally, she has supervised 26 Bachelor’s, 5 M.Sc. and 5 Ph.D. theses, and 1 Post-Doctoral Researcher. So far, she has also acted as Member of the Evaluation Committee for the election of Academic Staff Members-Universities- (5) and Member of the Electorate Committee for the election of Academic Staff members-Universities- (6), and Researchers- Research Institute- (2). In 2017, she was honored with the Best Young Scientist Award by the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP). In 2019, she received an award from Friesland Campina Hellas in the “Idea Challenge” competition. Additionally, she has been ranked in the top 2% of Scientists Worldwide by Stanford University (Ioannidis list) for four consecutive years (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).

Marie-Odile Nozières-Petit

Marie-Odile Nozières-Petit is research engineer at INRAE, ​​department ACT (Actions, Transitions and Territories), and holder of a PhD in Animal Production Science. She works within the UMR SELMET in Montpellier of which she is deputy director. This research unit is an international group focused on livestock production in Mediterranean and tropical areas with approximately 100 permanent and contractual staff around the world. The research of Marie-Odile Nozières-Petit focuses on changes in livestock farming systems, considering the marketing of livestock products, at the interface between production systems and sectors, as part of the agroecological transition of livestock farming systems, territories and value chains. She analyzes the management of livestock farming systems, the diversity of those, and the organization of related sectors and territories. Her research therefore falls within the disciplinary field of animal production systems science, which aims to analyze how livestock farming systems function, understand how their multi-performance is constructed on several temporal and spatial scales, and design innovative livestock farming systems that address the multiple challenges facing this agricultural sector.

Since the beginning of her career, Marie-Odile Nozières-Petit has been working in areas characterized by harsh environments, namely mountainous regions, and for more than 15 years in the southern France. The cases study she mobilizes are located in the French pastoral and agro-pastoral area, around the Mediterranean, south of the Massif Central, Massifs of the Pyrenees and the Alps, mainly in meat and dairy productions, from ovine and bovine sectors.She investigates a variety of situations involving the marketing of products from livestock farms in these areas, whether they are sold through long or short supply chains and, in several cases, under quality and origin certification schemes (PDO, PGI, Label Rouge, and organic farming).

Issues relating to fields’ observations gradually led Marie-Odile Nozières-Petit to broaden the scope of her research, while retaining marketing as the backbone of her analyses. She thus became interested in other factors determining changes in livestock farming systems, such as the impact of climate change or predation and implementation of protection measures in livestock farming systems (in this capacity, she is a member of the Coadapht research network). She has also focused on the transformations at specific moments in the life cycle of livestock farming systems, such as the settlement of new entrants. Finally, she has broadened this angle of analysis by adding to the functions of food production an understanding of the development of “other expected contributions,” particularly in the context of livestock farming systems that use small numbers of local breeds.

For ten years, she co-led the Mixt technology unit “Resources and transformations of pastoral livestock farming in Mediterranean territories,” a partnership between the Livestock Institute (Idele, INRAE, and the Agro-Montpellier Institute) (Nozières-Petit et al., 2021). For the last two years and currently, she co-leads a working group around thirty people from different disciplines within INRAE’s Joint Research Units (Animal scientists, Geneticists, Economists, Agronomists, Environmental scientists, Sociologists, Geographers) which is structuring a reflection on the contribution of research to the preservation, adaptation and development of pastoralism (Dedieu et al., 2025).

Giuseppe Pulina

Giuseppe Pulina is Full Professor of Ethics and Sustainability of Livestock Systems at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, where he currently serves as Vice-Rector for Research. He is also President of the UNITEL-Sardegna consortium for online higher education.

Former Director of the Department of Agricultural Sciences and of the Department of Animal Science at the University of Sassari, he has held several national academic leadership roles, including President of the National Conference of Agricultural Faculties, Vice-President of AISSA, and President (now Emeritus) of the Italian Association for Animal Science and Production (ASPA).

Prof. Pulina is a Fellow of the Accademia dei Georgofili and the National Academy of Agriculture, and has been Visiting Professor at the Universities of Leeds (UK), Cornell (USA), and Perth (Australia). He currently chairs the non-profit association Carni Sostenibili, coordinates the Mignini & Petrini Academy Advisory Board, and serves on the Scientific Committee of Edagricole.

Author of over 420 scientific and technical publications, several books, and educational films, his research focuses on sustainable animal production, ethics of research, and science communication. He has been included among the top 2% most cited scientists worldwide (PLOS Biology, 2024) and ranks within the top 1,100 global animal and veterinary scientists (Research.com).

Klaus Wimmers

Director, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)
Professor, Animal Breeding and Farm Animal Husbandry, University of Rostock

Prof. Dr. Klaus Wimmers is an expert in the physiological, genetic, and epigenetic foundations underlying trait expression and differentiation, particularly in relation to animal welfare and resource efficiency. As Director of FBN and Professor at the University of Rostock, he leads a team focused on these themes and actively participates in FAANG (Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes) initiatives, contributing to genome annotation efforts in pigs and chickens.

Susanne Kreuzer-Redmer

Susanne Kreuzer-Redmer’s research focuses on the interaction between genetics, nutrition, and immunity in farm animals. A key area of her work is investigating the role of microRNAs as post-transcriptional gene regulators, as well as their potential as biomarkers—specifically circulating microRNAs in blood—to identify and monitor pathological conditions in animals.
In addition, she develops cell culture models for various species, including chickens, pigs, cattle, and horses, to explore the immunomodulatory effects of dietary components such as probiotics and functional feed additives. Dr. Kreuzer-Redmer also contributes to animal nutrition research at the European level, serving as Vice President of the Commission on Animal Nutrition of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP).

Ilan Halachmi

Ilan Halachmi is Senior Research Scientist, Head of the Lab For Precision livestock farming (PLF) at Volcani Institute.
Ilan grew up on a happy four-generation family farm, cultivating livestock and varied seasonal arable farming. The farm is still active in the family. Ilan had a mechanical engineering BSc study at the Technion Haifa, an MSc in BGU, and PhD in Wageningen, Netherlands.
Selected International EU research projects: 2020 EU Horizon – ‘TechCare’; ‘Sm@RT’, EU-FACCE- ‘FreeWalk’; ‘OptiBarn’  Optimized animal-specific barn climatization facing temperature rise and increased climate variability. EU-FP7: ‘EU-PLF- Bright Farm by Precision Livestock Farming. ‘Bio-business.. EU-FP6. Optiscore – creation of animal condition scoring protocols using new electronic sensors.

Christina Ligda

Christina Ligda works as a Research Director in the Veterinary Research Institute in Thessaloniki (Hellenic Agricultural Organization – DIMITRA). She holds a Phd in Agriculture, in Animal Genetics and Breeding, from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her research interests and expertise refer to animal breeding with focus on dairy sheep and goats, genetic diversity of farm animal genetic resources, conservation schemes for small populations, sustainable production systems and breeding schemes. She is the Chair of the EAAP Mediterranean WG; National Coordinator for the management of AnGR at FAO and ERFP. of the ERFP SC (European Regional Focal Point for AnGR); Member of the Editorial Board of the Genetic Resources Journal; Member of the Editorial Advisory Group of Small Ruminant Research; Vice-Chair of the Hellenic Association of Animal Science. She participated in (or coordinated) several international, national and bilateral projects on genetic evaluation of dairy sheep and cattle, genetic diversity, conservation of AnGR and sustainable breeding schemes. Selected projects: Εuropean Network for interactive and innovative knowledge exchange on animal health and nutrition between the sheep industry actors and stakeholders – EUROSHEEP (HORIZON 2020); HORIZON 2020 MSCA – RISE HIGHLANDS.2; HORIZON 2020-SFS-2017-1, Coordination and support action FARMERS’ PRIDE www.farmerspride.eu; Breeding and management practices towards resilient and productive sheep and goat systems based on locally adapted breeds – PerFORM / www.arim-perform.net (funded in the frame of the ARIMNet ERANET project); Mediterranean biodiversity as a tool for the sustainable development of the small ruminant sector: from traditional knowledge to innovation – DoMEsTIc / www.arim-domestic.net (funded in the frame of the ARIMNet ERANET project) (Coordinator of the Consortium); Genetic Adaptation of bovine LIvestock and production systems in the MEDiterranean region – GALIMED (funding INRA); Heritage Sheep (EC 870/04); Sustainable conservation of animal genetic resources in marginal rural areas: integrating molecular genetics, socio-economics and geostatistical approaches (ECONOGENE – QLRT-2000-02461); PASTOMED (Interreg IIIC)