Welcome
The mission of the Chair of Animal Systems Genomics is to investigate how human activities, such as selective breeding to habitat degradation, transform animal species at their most fundamental, molecular (genomic) level.
We study a diverse array of species, including domestic animals and their wild relatives, such as dogs and wolves or pigs and wild boars, as well as endangered species like lions. Our Chair possesses state-of-the-art infrastructure, allowing us to deploy a variety of "omics" techniques to efficiently decode genomic information from diverse substrates.
This includes a specialized positive-pressure molecular laboratory for ancient DNA, enabling us to work from highly degraded source material (such as bones) to reconstruct the genomes of individuals that lived thousands of years ago.
We are active in teaching at various levels, with a particular focus on the Veterinary Medicine curriculum. We are also members of the LSM Graduate School and the dynamic Evolutionary Genetics Community of Munich.
News
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World’s oldest genetic evidence for domestic dogs identified in Europe and TürkiyeOur new study published in Nature has uncovered the earliest genetic evidence for the existence of dogs. Multiple dogs dated to similar periods have been identified across Europe and Türkiye, indicating dogs were widely distributed by 14,000 years ago.
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Animal Systems Genomics at EvoGenMunich2026We took part on the Evolution Genetics Munich Conference of 2026 on the 19th and 20th of March, 2026. This year our group contributed with 2 talks and 1 poster.
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How does a clonal fish avoid extinction?A new Nature study, led by our very own Dr. Edward Ricemeyer, reveals that the Amazon molly uses gene conversion to stay genetically healthy.
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Scientific Reports: HOX Genes Shape Sheep Tail LengthStudy shows embryonic HOX gene expression patterns persist in adult sheep tails and influence tail length via vertebral number differences.
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DFG funding awarded to research on genetic ancestry of EAZA lionsA new DFG-funded PhD project investigates the ancestry, genomic health, and fertility of European zoo lions.
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New DFG-Funded Project: Pangenome of Global Chicken DiversityDr. Edward Ricemeyer studies global chicken diversity for health & breeding.
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Our Research Published in Science: Austronesian Pigs in the PacificGenomic and tooth shape analyses reveal multiple pig introductions across Wallacea and Oceania linked to Austronesian migrations 4000–3000 years ago.
