Dr. Melissa Cox

I teach workshops and consult with clients on animal handling and training in institutional and research settings using the techniques of operant conditioning behaviour analysis. I also consult with animal breeders, breed clubs, and veterinarians about genetics and hereditary diseases.

I used translational genomics and microarray analysis to identify genetic markers in a colony of mice selected for reproductive longevity, for use in livestock species. Duties included designing and performing experiments, securing external funding, developing protocols, establishing and monitoring timelines, ensuring quality control, analyzing data, writing reports, liaising with several academic and service laboratories, and personnel management.

My postdoctoral fellowship at The Jackson Laboratory concentrated on identifying the gene and mutation responsible for the Hairpatches mutation in the Hpt/LeJ strain of inbred mice, which causes hereditary renal disease and patchy alopecia.

My postdoctoral fellowship at Pfizer focused primarily on applying genetic and molecular techniques to toxicopathology, with a special emphasis on investigating biomarkers of renal toxicity and transgenic mouse models. I designed and directed in vivo and in vitro toxicology studies in-house and with international CROs, and consulted on molecular techniques for multiple therapeutic areas. I also developed and directed a program using operant conditioning behaviour analysis to train minipigs to cooperate with

Molecular genetics; functional and comparative genomics

Combined honours in biology and history; Honours research project in molecular genetics