Speaker meeting via Zoom with Catheryn Mellersh

Until July 2020 Catheryn was Head of Canine Genetics Research at the Animal Health Trust and is currently in the process of transitioning herresearch group to the University of Cambridge.

The relationship between humans and dogs is unique.  The dog was the first animal to be domesticated, around 30,000 years ago, and has been by Man's side ever since.  Our species has, quite literally, shaped the domestic dog to perform a wide variety of different jobs for us, from herding and hunting, to guiding and guarding.  Many modern breeds of dog are very inbred, and as a result suffer from a wide variety of inherited diseases and disorders.  Catheryn's research focuses on understanding how mutations in the DNA causes inherited diseases in dogs and developing DNA tests that dog breeders can use to improve the health and wellbeing of our best friend.