Martin Johnsson

My research interests concern genetic variation and the genetic basis of complex traits, working especially with cattle, chickens and pigs.

Since 2024, I'm a Beijer researcher at the Beijer laboratory for Animal Science.

Here are some of the topics in genetics that interest me:

The genetic basis of complex traits. I am interested in the genetic basis of complex traits that matter to farm animals, such as body size and bone quality. Statistical genetic models can quantify and improve such traits in a breeding context. Mapping the genetic basis of molecular traits such as transcript levels (eQTL mapping) can help with identifying causative genes for quantitative traits, and also give us large sets of genetic associations to analyse.

Population genomics. With plentiful whole-genome sequence, one can describe the genetic variation of populations in ever finer detail. I am interested in genetic variation, signatures of selection and recombination rate variation in domestic and feral animals, and how genomics can be used to preserve genetic resources for the future.

Deleterious variation. Damaging genetic variants of large effect can become fairly common in farm animal populations, either due to drift or balancing selection. They raise all kinds of interesting management questions for breeding programs. I use theoretical models to address the spread of deleterious variants and their management in breeding programs.

I am the course leader for the course in genetics in veterinary medicine (VM1034) for the veterinary program. I also teach on, among others, the courses in Genome Analysis, Animal production – aquaculture, poultry and pigs and Animal Genetics – Health Behaviour and Welfare.

I'm happy to supervise degree projects. Please see the list of open projects and contact me if interested.

See my publication list at the SLU publication database.