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SUMMARY:Adaptive variation and evolutionarily conserved MHC-DRB supertype-
 binding motifs in Old World primates - Dr Leslie Knapp\, Dept of Biologica
 l Anthropology\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20091125T123000Z
DTEND:20091125T133000Z
UID:TALK19939@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Prof. Jim Kaufman
DESCRIPTION:My research interests center on the study of genetic variation
  in human and non-human primate populations. Specifically\, I seek to unde
 rstand how demography and environment influence genetic diversity and how 
 genetic factors influence inter-individual differences in health\, reprodu
 ctive success and behaviour in humans and other primates. My work also inv
 olves the application of molecular genetic data to questions of primate ta
 xonomy and evolution.\n \nAs a PhD student at UCLA\, my doctoral research 
 focused on the investigation of immunogenetic factors contributing to preg
 nancy wastage in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina). The basis for thi
 s research was the observation that immunogenetic similarity between mates
  is associated with decreased fecundability and increased fetal wastage in
  some mammalian species. Although controversial\, studies in humans\, rode
 nts and swine suggested that the highly polymorphic genetic loci responsib
 le for immune response and graft rejection (i.e.\, the major histocompatib
 ility complex\, or MHC) also played a role in reproductive outcome. My doc
 toral studies of histocompatibility antigen sharing among reproductively s
 uccessful and unsuccessful pigtailed macaque couples revealed a highly sig
 nificant amount of MHC antigen sharing among unsuccessful breeders. These 
 findings provide compelling support for MHC\, or MHC-linked\, genes playin
 g a critical role in primate reproduction. This research also suggests tha
 t prenatal selection may represent an additional mechanism for the mainten
 ance of genetic diversity in the major histocompatibility complex and that
  there is a need for continued study of MHC genes and reproduction in prim
 ates.\n\nMy interest in studying MHC genes to facilitate understanding of 
 ecological and evolutionary questions then led me to conduct post-doctoral
  research at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center (WRPRC). At th
 e WRPRC\, I developed molecular genetic techniques for the identification 
 and study of MHC genes in macaques and other primates. Using molecular tec
 hniques that include the polymerase chain reaction\, gel electrophoresis a
 nd nucleotide sequencing\, I characterized various MHC genes from humans\,
  rhesus macaques and New World monkeys. This work was used to study the ef
 fects of natural selection on MHC genes in primates\, to examine the antiq
 uity and evolution of particular MHC loci and to evaluate the relationship
  between habitat\, MHC genes and disease. \n
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre\, Department of Pathology\, Tennis Court Road
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