- If you are looking for links to recent 2022 work on self-spreading vaccines and the publication of a recent Science Policy Forum please click here (includes Open Access redirect to the article), Lentzos, Filippa, Edward P. Rybicki, Margret Engelhard, Pauline Paterson, Wayne Arthur Sandholtz, and R. Guy Reeves. “Eroding Norms over Release of Self-Spreading Viruses.” Science 375, no. 6576 (January 7, 2022): 31–33.
- The above publication resulted from a recent panel discussion; selected for the 2020 EuroScience Open Forum co-organised with Brad Wible (Senior Editor, Science)
- Earlier 2018 work genetically modified viruses in the environment, and the need to broadly consider wether the promoted upsides are actually achievable. Please click here
- Some of my motivation for this work that seeks to place the best available scientific evidence in a timely manner in the hands of the public and policy makers is outlined here
Current research activities
My main interest is currently focused with Professor Diethard Tautz in trying to understand the inheritance of complex traits which are impacted simultaneously by 100s or 1000s of genes (e.g the genetic components of human height or heart disease risk).
[there is a ] fundamental clash between what is taught in school about Mendelian genetics and what the real-life experience of inheritance is. The phenotype categories that lead to the Mendelian rules are very useful abstract concepts, but the actual phenotypes that one encounters almost never fall into simple categories. This led to many misunderstandings, especially with respect to the common thinking that “a gene” would determine a given trait. But in human genetics, there are practically no cases of such simple scenarios for normal phenotypes.
Diethard Tautz,, Guy Reeves, and Luisa F Pallares. “The New (Old) Genetics” 2020. Feel Free to add to the on-line discussion forum.
Commentary on our recent publication (March 2021)
Population Genetics: How Many Variable Genes Affect Variable Traits?
John F.Y. Brookfield
How many genes control a given trait? And are genes with defined knockout phenotypes affecting a given trait the same genes that also underlie population-wide variation in that trait? A new study in Drosophila melanogaster has some surprising answers.
In an accompanying commentary on our recent 2021 Current Biology publication we established, that for the complex traits examined in Drosophila fruit flies. Genes identified as being candidates for being involved using the standard approach (GWAS), were only slightly more likely to show a measurable impact on the trait of pupal length than genes selected at random (measured as disruption mutants).
Zhang, Wenyu, Guy R. Reeves, and Diethard Tautz. “Testing Implications of the Omnigenic Model for the Genetic Analysis of Loci Identified through Genome-Wide Association.” Current Biology, January 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.023.
This study was in part made possible by high throughput organism measurement techniques we have developed, that allow tens of thousands of individuals to be measured in experiments. This is in addition to being able to look at genetic data from across the whole genome.
Major ongoing projects on complex traits
All involve the management and development of high throughput measurement and whole genome sequencing approaches, requiring the deployment of flexible --user-friendly-- data-management systems, for use by teams of physically separated people.
- Analysis of a "select and re-sequence experiment” in Drosophila melanogaster. This project involved the measurement and individual freezer archiving of >60000 individuals from a 12 generation pedigree (where the ancestry of every individual is entirely known). This is in addition to the successful generation of whole genome sequences from >8000 individuals.
- Management and scientific development of a multi-generational wild mouse experiment that involves >9000 mice, including the CT scanning and whole genome genotyping of approximately 3000.
- Expansion of Drosophila gene disruption analysis, through the successful development of novel very high throughput imaging equipment with a local commercial partner.
Other scientific activities as part of numerous scientific collaborations (see Publications page)
- Evolutionary ecological modelling of malaria control and gene drive approaches (note granted patent detailed on publications page relating to gene drive).
- Mosquito control and systematics in Sudan
- Year round training of staff and students. Have taught 1 week annually as part of Kiel University MAMBE course (biol-253).
- Engaging with regulators, policy makers and the public about the development of genetic techniques that are intended to be autonomous in the environment.
- I provide informal advice to several ministries including through report writing and invited talks to various senates commissions.
- Nominated, by the BMU as an expert to assist at an international level with in Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group, an instrument under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
- The above efforts, and listing only those in the past 3 years, include the holding of public meetings (e.g. 1, 2, 3 also see flyer below), the use of well engaged with animations (1, 1a and 2). Including a 3 day workshop for 15 global experts in the fields of virology, international law, military strategy and biosecurity which culminated in a 2 hour meeting at the UN in Geneva for more than 100 diplomats and government advisors, followed by an event for the public (all funded and organised by the Max Planck Society).
- Co-development of interfaces to help with the initiative understanding of complex biological phenomena (DrMxR) by both regulators and the public.
2019 flyer for UN event and accompanying public event