PhD from Texas A&M University
Graduate fields: Animal Science, Animal Breeding & Genomics
Area(s) of interest:
- Animal molecular and quantitative genetics
- Functional and nutritional genomics
- Metabolic syndrome in animal models
- Genetics & economics of indigenous livestock resources in Sub-Saharan Africa
Teaching:
- Current: ANSC 2210 Introductory Animal Genetics
- Proposed: ANSC xxxx Applied Animal Breeding and Genetics
Professional Organizations:
- American Society of Animal Science
- International Society of Animal Genetics
- Genetics Society of America
- NIH-NIDDK Network of Minority Investigators
Email: igi2@cornell.edu
Current Research Interests:
Epigenetics of Mammalian Growth and Development
Genomic imprinting is defined as non-Mendelian expression from only one of the two parental copies of a gene. It has become a very important topic of biological interest in recent years due to involvement in various biological processes, notably control of intra-uterine growth, brain function, behavior and tumorigenesis. We are interested in epigenetic control of growth-related genes and influence of parent-of-origin effects on mammalian growth and reproduction, particularly in cattle. Better understanding of imprinted genes may be useful in sex-specific molecular-assisted selection at birth for improved success with in-vitro embryo culture and nuclear cloning and long term performance.
- Representative Publications and Presentations
- Imumorin, I.G, Peters, S.O. and De Donato, M. 2012. Genomic imprinting and imprinted gene clusters in the bovine genome. Invited Book Chapter In: Livestock Epigenetics (Hasan Khatib, editor). Pp. 89 – 112. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-0-04079-5859-9/2012.
- Imumorin, I.G., Kim, H-W., Lee, Y-M., De Koning, D.-J., Arendonk, J.A.M., De Donato, M., Taylor, J.F. and Kim J-J. 2011. Genome scan for parent-of-origin QTL effects on bovine growth and carcass traits. Frontiers in Genetics 2:44. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2011.00044.
- Lawton, B.R., Carone, B.R., Obergfell, C., Ferreri, G., Gondolphi, C., VandeBerg, J.L., Imumorin, I.G., O’Neill, R.J. and O’Neill, M.J. 2008. Genomic imprinting of IGF2 in marsupials is methylation dependent. BMC Genomics. 9:205.
Genetics of Metabolic Syndrome
Our interest in genetics of metabolic syndrome involves the emerging area of intra-uterine fetal metabolic programming via nutritional effects on gene expression that might set the stage for the cluster of adult onset diseases that underlie the metabolic syndrome. There is a preponderance of evidence that an overwhelming number of known imprinted genes are expressed (in a few cases exclusively) in the developing fetus and placenta, therefore, aberrant epigenetic reprogramming due to mutations in these genes might play a role in susceptibility to metabolic disease later in life. Our goal is to identify and characterize parent-of-origin effects in imprinted candidate genes, establish epigenetic association between these genes and metabolic syndrome using algorithms designed to test for imprinted transmission of disease alleles in animal models of human disease and livestock development.
- Representative Publications
- Imumorin, I.G., Dong, Y., Zhu, H., Poole, J.C., Harshfield, G.A., Treiber, F.A. and Sneider, H. 2005. A bio-behavioral gene – environment model of stress-induced hypertension. Cardiovascular Toxicology. 5 (2): 109 – 132.
- Steinle N.I., Kazlauskaite, R., Imumorin, I.G., Hsueh, W.-C., Pollin, T.I., O’Connell, J.R., Mitchell, B.D. and Shuldiner, A.R. 2004. Variation in the Lamin A/C (LMNA) Gene: Associations with metabolic syndrome. Arterio. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 24:1708 – 13.
- Kao, WHL, Hsueh, W-C., Rainwater, D., Blangero J.C., O’Leary, D.H., Imumorin, I.G. and Mitchell, B.D. 2005. Family history of type-2 diabetes is associated with increased carotid artery intimal-medial thickness in Mexican – Americans. Diabetes Care. 28: 1882 – 89.
Characterization of Indigenous Livestock Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa
Genetic characterization of most domestic animal species in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the West African sub-region is still needed. Local populations, which are genetic resources that harbor enormous natural variation that must be preserved, are under pressure from imported high performing breeds. In addition, introgression from other populations through crossbreeding practices result in the loss of original genetic variants, hence most breeds and varieties are not only threatened by extinction due to breed replacement but also by the genetic erosion of the native population. In collaboration with colleagues across Sub-Saharan Africa, we are involved in studies to study natural genetic variation in indigenous livestock using various marker systems and genes and how these correlate with physiological indices of performance and productivity for breed improvement and conservation of important germplasm on the African continent.
- Representative Publications
- Agaviezor, B.O., Adefenwa, M.A., Peters, S.O., Yakubu, A., Adebambo, O.A., Ozoje, M.O., Ikeobi, C.O.N., Ilori, B.M., Wheto, M., Okpeku, M., De Donato, M. and Imumorin, I.G. 2012. Genetic diversity analysis of the mitochondrial D-loop of Nigerian indigenous sheep. Animal Genetic Resources (In press).
- Okpeku, M., Ozoje, M.O., Adebambo, O.A., Agaviezor, B.O., O’Neill, M.J. and Imumorin, I.G. 2011. Preliminary analysis of microsatellite-based genetic diversity of goats in southern Nigeria. Animal Genetic Resources 49: 33 – 41.
- Okpeku, M., Yakubu, A., Peters, S.O., Ozoje, M.O., Ikeobi, C.O.N., Adebambo, O.A., and Imumorin, I.G. 2011. Application of multivariate principal component analysis to morphological traits of goats in southern Nigeria. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 98 (2): 101 – 109.