Source: The Scientist
Nearly 20 years after helping sequence the first dog genome, geneticist Elinor Karlsson now leads research connecting animal and human health through comparative genomics at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and the Broad Institute. In 2018, she co-founded Darwin’s Ark, a citizen science project enrolling 46,000 dogs and 14,000 cats for genetic study. Participants complete detailed surveys, and pet DNA samples are collected for sequencing.
Findings from Darwin’s Dogs revealed that while physical traits strongly link to breed, behavioral traits do not, challenging stereotypes about dog behavior. The project also identified genetic variants tied to conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which dogs exhibit similarly to humans. Building on this success, Karlsson launched Darwin’s Cats in 2024, using hair samples collected with eyebrow combs to study feline genetics and behavior. She hopes these efforts will uncover insights into complex traits and diseases, offering faster answers than human studies due to pets’ shorter.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.the-scientist.com/darwin-s-ark-project-decodes-pet-genomics-73384