Dr. Habtamu Abera Goshu is Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Development Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Research Grant Council (RGC) Secretary, Chair of the grant proposal review committee in Ethiopia, and Focal Person of the Research Grant Council of Ethiopia. Before joining the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Dr. Habtamu Abera Goshu (Ph.D.) worked for the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute as a senior researcher (associate professor) in animal genetics and molecular breeding. I have worked for the Oromia Agricultural Research Institute as an associate researcher at the Bako Agricultural Research Center for 15 years. Dr. Habtamu Abera Goshu has research knowledge and skills in the copy number variations since he graduated with a Ph.D. degree in Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and he did his Ph.D. thesis project entitled "Study on the Copy Number Variations of the CHKB, KLF6, GPC1, and CHRM3 Genes Associated with Growth Traits and Gene Expression in Chinese Domestic Yak (Bos grunniens)". I did my MSc thesis project entitled "Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Growth Traits of Horro Cattle and Their Crosses with Holstein Friesian and Jersey Breeds at Bako Agricultural Research Center, Western Oromia, Ethiopia". I have practical skills in examining the concentration and quality of RNA and DNA using a NanoDropTM BioPhotometer 2000 and through electrophoresis on ethidium bromide-stai

Animal Biotechnology
Livestock Production
Selection using molecular markers
Technology of genetic engineering (crops and livestock)

Project Title: Genomic-Wide Detection of Copy Number Variations in Ethiopia Indigenous Cattle using whole genome sequencing
Ethiopia is endowed with a very large (70 million heads) and phenotypically diverse cattle population comprising over 28 traditional breeds. The detection of CNVs in Ethiopian cattle will help to uncover genomic regions and genes associated with production, reproduction, health, adaptation, and conformation traits. Moreover, the host institution has studied CNVs for many
years and possesses a unique database on CNVs identified for various local European cattle breeds as well as for the Holstein-Friesian breed, the most advanced dairy breed worldwide in terms of milk production. We believe that the possibility of comparing the landscape of CNVs across the two resources (i.e., Ethiopian local breeds, European local breeds, and the Holstein-Friesian breed) is an important milestone in the understanding of cattle genetic diversity and its association with phenotypic diversity. In particular, whole-blood samples will be collected from 140 individuals representing four Ethiopian indicine cattle breeds: zebu (Borna, Begait, Arsi, Ogaden, Ambo, Guraghe, and Mursi), zenga (Horro, Fogera, and Arado), sanga (Raya-Azebo, Anuak, and Afar), and a taurine cattle breed (Sheko). The breeds were selected based on their geographic distribution (high vs. low altitude) and economic importance in Ethiopia.

copy number variations, breeds, low land, highland, adaptation, climate change

Ethiopia Society of Animal Production, Africa Society of Animal
Production, EAAP or WCGALP