It has been my privilege to work in the field of canine genetics since 1991, and to have headed the Kennel Club Genetics Centre since its foundation in 2009. During that time, this research space has evolved considerably; my first role was to identify some of the very first genetic markers within the canine genome – today we can sequence the whole genome of any dog for less than the price of an average puppy.
Since its launch, the Genetics Centre has developed, evolved and overcome several challenges, the greatest of which came in 2020. This is when the Animal Health Trust, the KCGC’s home, closed permanently and my research team and I were all made redundant. But thanks to the University of Cambridge and enabled by funding from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the Genetics Centre and its staff were able to move to Cambridge Vet School. It took us a while for us to get back on our feet, moving as we did in the middle of global pandemic, but we are now operating at full capacity and have a very full programme of research underway, all aimed at improving the health of future generations of dogs.However, the Genetics Centre is now facing a new challenge, of a similar magnitude to the one we faced three years ago – this time regarding funding.In an online presentation on January 16th, I will elaborate on the current situation, and outline my proposal for a new funding model, one that I hope will help provide greater financial stability for the Genetics Centre going forwards.
